LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 


977.365 
C83h 


I.H.S. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://archive.org/details/historyofhoopestOOcoxs 


UN1VERSI I  W01S 


J.  S.  M'FERREN 
First  Mayor  of  Hoopeston 


%J) 


A  History  of 
HOOPESTON 

WORLD'S    GREATEST    CORN    CANNING    CENTER1 


Published  By 

The  Chronicle-Herald 

"Hoopeston's  Community  Newspaper" 


To  those  men  who  so  nobly  responded   to   their  country's 
call    in    time    of  need  and  who  brought  honor  to  the 
folds  of  the  flag  they  kept  unstained  —the  mem- 
bers of  Ira  Owen    Kreager   Post,  No.   384, 
Department    of     Illinois,   American 
Legion,  this  book  is  affection- 
ately     dedicated. 


Compiled  and  Edited  by  S.  V.  Cox 


C<3  3  w 


PREFACE 


HIS  book  represents  the  labor  of  six  month  in  pre- 
paring it  for  the  public  and  represents  many 
years  of  foresight  on  the  part  of  The  Chronicle- 
Herald,  Hoopeston's  Community  Newspaper,  in  collect- 
ing and  preserving  data  of  historical  value  with  a  view 
to  saving  it  for  posterity  in  the  form  in  which  it  is 
herewith  presented. 

Every  painstaking  care  to  make  it  as  accurate  as 
is  possible  has  been  taken.  It  was  designed  to  tell  the 
civic,  commercial,  industrial  and  social  story  of  Hoopes- 
ton  from  the  date  of  the  founding  of  the  city  to  the 
present  date.  Within  its  covers  can  be  found  infor- 
mation that  has  never  been  placed  in  book  form  be- 
fore. It  represents  the  first  actual  history  of  Hoopes- 
ton  alone,  that  has  ever  been  published  and  in  years 
to  come  when  the  city  has  grown  greatly  and  another 
half  century  has  passed  by,  will  form  the  foundation 
for  historians  who  will  undoubtedly  take  up  this  work 
after  the  city  has  passed  its  One  Hundredth  Anniver- 
sary. 

Grateful  acknowledgment  is  made  for  the  aid  rend- 
ered by  the  following  persons  without  whose  efforts 
this  book  would  not  have  been  possible:  General  Pas- 
senger Agent  E.  H.  Batchelder,  of  the  C.  &  E.  I.  Rail- 
road ;  Ex-Mayor  I.  E.  Merritt,  of  Hoopeston ;  Ex-Mayor 
John  A.  Heaton,  of  Hoopeston ;  Leroy  Songer,  of  Hoop- 
eston ;  E.  H.  Gustine,  of  Hoopeston ;  Leonard  D.  Roark, 
of  Hoopeston;  Bertha  M.  York,  of  Hoopeston;  Judge 
Dale  Wallace,  of  Hoopeston ;  the  various  industrial  en- 
terprises and  business  concerns  of  the  city  and  the 
Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company  of  Hoopeston 


Table  of  Contents 


CHRONOLOGICAL  HISTORY PAGES  1  TO  26 

The  Founding  of  Hoopeston Chapter  I,  Page  1 

1878  to  1895 Chapter  II,  Page  7 

1895  to  1919  . . _.Capter  III,  Page  12 

1919  to  1925 Chapter  IV,  Page  19 

Political  Subdivisions _ . _ Page  25 


HOOPESTON  IN  THE  WORLD  WAR PAGES  27  TO  50 


General  Review  Page  27 

Company  B,    Page   29 

War  Service   Page  32 

The  Honor  Roll   Page  39 


The  Draft  Board Page  45 

Red  Cross Page  46 

War  Chest   Page  4? 

Liberty  Loans   Page  48 


LODGES  AND  ORGANIZATIONS PAGES  51  TO  67 


Ira  Owen  Kreager  Post, 

American  Legion   Page  51 

Harmon  Post,  No.  115, 

G.  A.  R .Pag^  56 

Daughters   of   American 

Revolution    Page  57 

Masonic  Lodges    Page  59 


Modern  Woodmen  Page  60 

The  Royal  Neighbors Page  62 

The  Knights  of  Columbus ..  Page  62 
Hoopeston  Lodge  I.  O.  O.  F.  Page  65 
Mary  Hart  well  Catherwood 

Club   Page  65 

L.  O.  O.  M Page  66 


COMMERCIAL  ACTIVITIES PAGES  68  TO  85 


General  Survey  Page  68 

Chamber  of  Commerce Page  69 

Hoopeston  National  Bank . .  Page  73 


The  First  National  Bank... Page  75 

Newspapers Page  77 

Business  Directory    Page  80 


INDUSTRIAL  HOOPESTON PAGES  86  TO  113 


Illinois  Canning  Company.  .Page  86 
Hoopeston  Canning  Co.  . . . Page  88 
Sprague-Sells  Corporation,  Page  91 
Vermilion  Malleable  Iron,  Page  96 

The  American  Can  Co. Page  98 

The  Oiff-Bruff  Company ..  Page  99 
Ice  &  Cold  Storage  Co Page  99 


P.  H.  Webber  Co Page  100 

A.  W.  Murray  Co Page  101 

Telephone  Company   Page  104 

C.  I.  P.  S.  Co Page  105 

C.  &  E.  I.  Railroad Page  107 

Nickel  Plate  Road Page  108 

General  Review Page  111 


PARKS  AND  PUBLIC  BUILDINGS PAGES  114  TO  124 

Tho    Federal    Building. .  .Page  115  McFerren    Park     Page  121 

The   Public    Library Page  117  City   (North)   Park   Page  122 

The   City   Hall    Page  119  Union  Park    Page  123 

City    Waterworks    Page  120  Floral  Hill  Cemetery Page  123 

City   Schools    Page  120 


HOOPESTON  CHURCHES   PAGES  125  TO  137 

General  Review Page  125  St   Anthony's   Cathofic 

First  M.  E.  Church Page  127  Church     Page  135 

First  Church  of  Christ. . .  .Page  129  Society  of  Friends 

First  Presbyterian  Church  Page  130  (Quakers)     Page  136 

United  Presbyterian  Christian  Science  Church  Page  136 

Church Page  131  Free  Methodist  Church. .  .Page  137 

Universalist    Church Page  133  Other   Denominations Page  137 

Baptist    Church .Page  134 


THE  COLD  NEW  YEAR PAGES  138  TO  140 

By  "OF  Settler"— Robt.  F.  Cooper 

ADVERTISING  SECTION 

C.  &  E.  I.  Railroad.  The  Lorraine  Theater 

Sprague-Sells  Corporation.  Hoopeston  National  Bank 

The  Chronicle-Herald  The  First  National  Bank 

The  American  Legion.  The  Illinois  Canning  Company 

The  Tliff-Bruff  Chemical  Co.  The  Hoopeston  Canning  Company 

The  Hoopeston  Chamber    of    Com-  The  Central  Illinois  Public  Service 
merce  Company. 


FULL  PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS 

J.  S.  McFerren,  First  Mayor  of  Hoopeston Frontispiece 

Alba  Honeywell,  Mayor  1879-1880 Page  8 

Charles  A.  Allen  _ _ Page  10 

Charles  F.  Dyer   Page  14 

William  Moore _ _ Page  16 

D.  J.  McFerren,  Mayor  1925 Page  22 

G.  H.  Couchman,  City  Attorney,  1925. Opp.  Page  24 

Major  E.  C.  Thornton  and  Horse _ Page  28 

Captain  John  H.  Steward   _ Page  31 

First  Lieut.  Mitchell  S.  Cash Page  33 

Second  Lieut.  Lloyd  P.  Petry  _ Page  35 

Company  B,  129th  Infantry _ Opp.  Page  36 


Ira  Owen  Kreager Page  52 

The  Lorraine  Theater _ . _ .  .  .  Opp.  Page  68 

George  E.  Evans    Page  71 

William   McFerren    _ _ Page  74 

"Judge"  Dale  Wallace Page  76 

Chester  A.  Aldrich _ _ .  .Opp.  Page  78 

Robert  R.  Rodman Opp.  Page  80 

The  Hoopeston  Canning  Company Page  89 

The  Sprague-Sells  Canning  Machinery  Plant- Page  93 

The  Vermilion  Malleable  Iron  Company . .  .  _ Page  97 

The  Town  Clock  Building  Page  114 

The  Methodist  Church  Parsonage Page  126 


OTHER  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Name                                              Page 
Thomas  Hoopes   2 

D.  M.  Shankland    13 

C.  S.  Crary  15 

H.    C.    Finley    15 

John    A.    Heaton    19 

Walter   Holmes    23 

L.  D.  Wood    23 

Dr.  A.  J.   Clay    24 

Srt.  E.  R.  Deck    36 

Lieut.  Alba  Cromer  39 

F.  K.  Boudinard ...   39 

Col.   Green   and    Staff 38 

L.  H.  Deck   .' 40 

Lieut.  A.  J.  Dallstream 40 

Capt.  C.  F.  Dyer 41 

Capt.  L.  B.  Dyer 41 

Lieut.  Harry  Kivell 42 

Lieut.  J.  B.  Kerr   42 

Louis  J.  Willett 42 

Lieut.    Claude    Forshier 43 

Lieut.  C.  S.  Miller 43 

E.  C.  Thornton 44 

Lieut.  Ralph  Stine 45 

Franklin  Johnson   55 


Name  Page 

Hoopeston  National  Bank 72 

I.  E.  Merritt    ... 73 

C.  W.  Warner 78 

Dr.  J.  M.  Hannell 81 

John  F.  Ost    81 

B.  R.  Burton   81 

L.  E.  Alkire   82 

Dr.  F.  P.  Johnson  84 

Ogden  S.  Sells 91 

Ralph  Webber   100 

Kelly  A.  Cardiff   110 

J.  H.  Dyer   117 

Carnegie   Library    118 

Greer  College  120 

W.  R.  Lovvery 121 

McFerren  Park  Pavilion 122 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church ....  127 

Rev.  C.  H.  Young  128 

First  Church  of  Christ 129 

First  Presbyterian  Church 131 

United  Presbyterian  Church 132 

Universalist  Church  133 

Baptist  Church    134 

First  Catholic  Church  in 
Hoopeston 135 


The  Founding  of  Hoopeston 


Coming  of  The  Railroads — Laying  Out  of  the  City — The  Town  of 
Leeds — The  Village  War — Efforts  of  Pioneer  Residents — 
Completion  of  First  Building — The  First  Newspaper — The 
First  School  Building — Incorporation  of  Village  of  Hoopeston 
— Village  Government  —  City  is  Incorporated  —  First  Elec- 
tion of  City  Officers — The  Saloon  Question. 


In  the  year  1870  twin  agents  of  civilization  and  improvement 
were  extending  their  way  across  eastern  Illinois ;  two  railroads, 
one  of  them  known  as  the  Chicago,  Danville  and  Vincennes,  (now 
the  Chicago  and  Eastern  Illinois)  the  other  The  Lafayette,  Bloom- 
•ngton  and  Western,  (later  the  Lake  Erie  and  Western,  and  now 
a  branch  of  the  Nickle  Plate  Railroad.)  Had  the  original  plan  of 
the  Chicago  road  been  followed,  it  would  have  crossed  the  Lafay- 
ette, Blocmington  &  Western  about  two.  miles  east  of  the  pres- 
ent crossing.  But  there  were  three  considerations  taken  into  ac- 
count concerning  the  point  of  intersection.  These  were:  the  pro- 
posed crossing  was  in  a  low  flat  location ;  Thomas  Hoopes  offered 
to  give  80  acres  of  land  to  have  the  crossing  west,  on  the  hill  near 
the  present  Cunningham  farm;  and  for  services  rendered  the  pro- 
moters felt  under  obligations  to  Alba  Honeywell  to  let  him  se- 
lect the  point  of  intersection.  Mr.  Honeywell  chose  the  site  of  the 
present  intersection.  The  railroad  company  then  offered  to  name 
their  station  Honeywell,  which  honor  was  declined. 

The  country  was  sparsely  settled  in  1870.  The  highlands  were 
cultivated  partly,  the  low  lands  had  not  been  touched  and  the  bal- 
ance was  used  for  pasturage.  Very  little  of  it  had  ever  been 
fenced.  It  was  in  this  condition  in  1871,  when  the  proposed  rail- 
road lines  had  been  surveyed  through  this  section  by  engineers. 
Settlers  had  little  faith  in  the  actual  coming  of  the  railroad,  scoff- 
ing at  it  as  "the  effort  of  men  who  had  more  money  than  brains." 

The  lines  of  the  Lafayette,  Bloomington  &  Western  were 
surveyed,  staked  out  and  construction  work  started.  This  road 
reached  the  intersection  first,  in  1871,  and  it  was  not  until  May, 


1872,  that  the  Chicago,  Danville  &  Vincennes  reached  the  cross- 
ing. It  was  at  once  seen  that  the  new  railroad  intersection  would 
make  a  desirable  place  for  the  founding  of  a  town.  Milford  was 
the  nearest  place  on  the  north,  Oxford  on  the  east,  Rossville  on 
the  south  and  Paxton  on  the  west.  Realizing  this,  some  quick  work 
was  done  in  buying  land  and  platting  it  into  town  lots. 

Adjacent  to  the  spot  where  the  railroads  crossed  were  forty 
acres  of  land,  known  as  the  "lost  Forty/'  (because  of  the  dif- 
ficulty of  finding  the  previous 
owners)  then  owned  by  Joseph 
M.  Satterwhaite,  who  with 
Thomas  Hoopes,  in  1871,  laid  out 
on  a  part  of  this  tract,  and  on 
land  owned  by  the  latter,  the 
original  town  of  Hoopeston,  Illi- 
nois, which  consisted  only  of  the 
lots  fronting  on  West  Main 
street  and  a  tier  of  lots  facing 
Penn  street.  Additions,  located 
south  on  what  is  now  known  as 
on  lands  which  nearly  surround- 
ed the  Satterwhaite  tract,  fol- 
lowed in  rapid  succession. 

At  this  time  land  in  this  sec- 
tion was  selling  at  $6  or  less 
an  acre.  Alba  Honeywell,  acting 
as  the  agent  of  Young  &  Co.,  one 
of  the  two  railroad  construction 
companies,  through  Gideon  Dav- 
is, an  agent  for  the  Hoopes 
land,  had  attempted  to  buy  forty 
acres  at  $25  per  acre,  but  a  mis- 
understanding arose  which  pre- 
vented completion  of  the  deal. 
Mr.  Honeywell  then  secured  an 
interest  in  the  Thompson  land, 
adjoining  the  above  mentioned 
tracts  on  the  north  and  proceeded  to  survey  and  plat  North 
Hoopeston;  which  embraced  lands  adjacent  to  and  north  of  the 
present  Nickle  Plate  railroad  and  east  of  the  now  C.  &  E.  I.  rail- 
road. Adjoining  this  tract  on  the  east  at  about  this  time  William 
Moore  and  Noah  Brown  laid  out  Moore  &  Brown's  addition  to  the 
City  of  Hoopeston. 

Meanwhile,  Snell,  Taylor  and  Mix,  of  Chicago,  Railroad  Con- 
struction Company,  bought  1,000  acres  of  land  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Chicago  railroad  and  in  November,  1871,  laid  out  the  land 
in  lots  and  called  their  town  Leeds.  This  addition  extended  west 
to  present  Sixth  Avenue  and  south  four  blocks  and  one-half  to 


Thomas  Hoopes 


Maple  street.  Strife  broke  out  between  the  two  rival  sections  of 
the  city  in  an  effort  to  name  the  entire  city.  Leeds  scored  the 
first  victory  in  this  battle  when  they  obtained  the  postoffice  and 
caused  it  to  be  named  Leeds.  Its  location  was  shortly  after 
changed  to  Hoopeston  and  was  mjoved  into  the  original  town 
where  it  has  remained  since. 

The  first  postoffice  was  established  in  October,  1871,  and 
J.  M.  R.  Spinning  was  appointed  postmaster,  a  position  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  until  1878.  Old  documents  in  the  possession  of  post- 
office  officials  at  the  present  day  set  the  salary  of  this  first  post- 
master, Mr.  Spinning,  at  $12  per  year.  In  addition  to  this  sal- 
ary $8  per  year  was  allowed  for  transportation  of  mails  from 
Rossville  to  Hoopeston,  it  being  necessary  to  bring  the  mails 
from  that  city  in  a  buggy.  The  first  mail  arrived  on  the  9th  of 
December.  It  was  not  until  January  1872  that  mail  came  by  the 
trains  into  Hoopeston. 

While  the  struggles  between  the  north  and  west  sides  were 
in  progress  others  were  not  idle.  Roger  Casement  was  early  in  the 
fight.  He  bought  and  platted  a  tract  of  land  extending  from 
Market  street  two  and  one-half  blocks  east  and  from  Penn 
street  two  blocks  south,  which  he  called  Casement's  addition  and 
upon  this  tract  the  first  residence  was  built,  on  the  southeast 
corner  of  Washington  and  Fourth  streets. 

The  first  store  building  was  completed  and  occupied  on  Lot 
69,  Main  Street,  by  David  Bedell,  who  stocked  it  with  general 
merchandise  in  1871.  This  was  soon  followed  by  the  first  hard- 
ware store  by  William  Moore  and  W.  A.  Brillhart. 

In  October  1871  religious  services  were  first  held  in  Hoopes- 
ton in  the  store  of  a  Mr.  McCracken.  For  many  months  this  store 
was  the  headquarters  for  religious  instruction.  No  denominational 
factions  had  arisen  and  no  credentials  were  required  other  than 
that  a  man  could  preach  in  order  to  occupy  McCracken's  pulpit. 
The  Methodist  society  was  organized  in  1872,  by  the  Rev.  F.  B.  F. 
Hyde,  of  Rossville,  and  presiding  elder,  Rev.  Preston  Wood.  The 
preaching  was  at  first  conducted  at  McCracken's  store.  The  Unit- 
ed Presbyterian  Church  and  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  were 
both  established  in  May,  1872,  and  were  followed  by  the  Baptist 
Church  in  1873.  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  (Christian)  was  or- 
ganized in  June  1873,  by  Elder  Rawley  Martin  with  12  members. 
There  were  representatives  of  the  Friends  Society  (Quakers) 
here  at  Hoopeston  from  the  laying  out  of  the  new  town.  Joseph 
M.  Satterwhaite  was  one  of  the  leaders  of  this  sect  and  it  was  at 
his  home  that  first  mjeetings  were  held.  In  the  fall  of  1873,  Isaac 
T.  Lukens  erected  a  building  at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Main 
streets  and  arranged  it  as  a  meeting  house. 

The  struggle  between  the  north  and  west  sides  kept  up  for 
several  years.  One  of  the  features  of  this  fight  was  the  part 
played  by  George  H.  White,  who  graded  many  of  the  streets  on  the 


west  side  and  planted  miles  of  soft  Maple  trees.  To  Mr.  White 
belongs  the  credit  for  the  many  trees  along  the  streets  of  Hoopes- 
ton for  his  example  was  followed  in  other  parts  of  the  town. 

As  a  result  of  the  different  additions  to  the  original  p]at, 
Hoopeston  became  a  city  of  magnificent  distances  between  im- 
provements. Before  long  there  were  scattering  cheap  frame  struc- 
tures on  Main  street,  used  for  business  and  residences,  on  Mar- 
ket street  north  from  Davis  street  to  the  City  Park  were  stores  of 
general  merchandise,  hardware,  drugs,  etc.  Over  in  Leeds  a  hotel, 
called  the  Hibbard  House,  stood  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Penn 
street  and  Second  Avenue.  Across  the  street  was  a  large  brick 
building,  the  double  rooms  of  which  were  filled  with  general 
merchandise.  Just  across  the  street  south,  W.  R.  Clark  had  a  large 
stock  of  hardware.  Each  division  tried  to  permanently  locate  the 
business  district  within  its  borders,  which  ultimately  found  its 
way  to  the  central  portion  of  the  town.  Main  street  business  lots 
sold  for  $150  and  the  best  residence  lots  in  the  town  could  be 
bought  for  $125.  The  name  of  Hoopeston  spread  abroad  and  in 
1874  the  city  had  a  population  of  1,000. 

Among  the  early  pioneers  who  came  to  Hoopeston  to  build 
permanent  homes  and  who  gave  character  to  the  town  were  Alba 
Honeywell,  J.  S.  McFerren,  William  Moore,  Dale  Wallace,  A.  H. 
Trego,  R.  M.  Knox,  Peter  F.  Levin,  James  A.  Cunningham,  A. 
T.  Catherwood  and  W.  R.  Clark.  There  were  others,  but  it  is  gen- 
erally conceded  that  these  named  in  a  special  manner  exerted 
a  progressive  influence  which  impressed  itself  on  the  future  des- 
tiny of  Hoopeston. 

The  first  newspaper  was  established  in  Hoopeston  by  Dale 
Wallace  with  the  assistance  of  Gideon  W.  Seavey.  The  first  num- 
ber was  issued  on  the  11th  of  January,  1872,  and  wras  called  'The 
North  Vermilion  Chronicle."  The  first  number  gave  a  faithful  ac- 
count of  the  early  days  of  Hoopeston.  The  paper  continued  to  be 
published  under  that  name  for  a  year  and  a  half,  and  then  the 
name  was  changed  to  the  "Hoopeston  Chronicle"  and  was  con- 
tinued for  many  years  under  that  name  by  Mr.   Wallace 

Hoopeston  was  incorporated  as  a  village  in  1874.  The  first 
civil  organization  took  place  in  January  of  that  year.  During  the 
three  years  previous,  the  county  and  township  government  had 
proved  sufficient  for  the  new  towm,  but  its  rapid  growth  soon 
necessitated  organization.  The  village  organization  of  Hoopeston 
continued  for  three  years  and  three  months  until  April  1877.  T. 
J.  Corr  was  president  of  the  First  Board  of  Village  Trustees, 
which  was  composed  of  J.  Bedell,  W.  R.  Clark,  S.  P.  Thompson, 
I.  N.  Danner  and  L.  R.  North.  J.  M.  R.  Spinning  was  the  clerk  of 
this  first  board  and  Jacob  S.  McFerren  its  treasurer.  This  first 
village  board  served  only  three  months  and  one-half — from  the 
middle  of  January,  1874,  until  April,  1874.  An  election  was  then 


held  to  fill  the  offices  for  the  next  year,  April,  1874,  to  April, 
1875. 

No  sooner  had  the  village  organization  become  a  fact 
with  a  live  board  of  directors  until  the  public  spirt  of  the  people 
demanded  a  better  development  in  the  matter  of  schools.  A  board 
of  directors  was  elected— G.  C.  Davis,  A.  L.  Armstrong  and  Wil- 
liam Moore.  The  first  need  was  a  suitable  school  house.  Whether 
a  large,  roomy  centrally  located  building  should  be  built  at  a 
good  sized  cost  or  whether  numerous  cheaper  scattered  buildings 
should  be  built,  became  an  issue.  William  Moore  was  one  of  the 
most  earnest  advocates  of  the  first  named — a  big  central  build- 
ing— and  this  plan  was  adopted  and  resulted  in  the  erection  of  the 
Honeywell  School  building,  the  first  in  Hoopeston. 

The  second  village  administration  was  headed  by  N.  L. 
Thompson,  president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees ;  T.  Watkins,  L. 
Armstrong  W.  A.  Brillhart,  S.  P.  Thompson  and  W.  R.  Clark 
forming  the  board  for  this  year.  W.  R.  C]ark  did  not  comnip'o 
his  term  of  office,  however,  resigning  and  his  position  being  filled 
by  William  McFerren.  J.  S.  McFerren  had  been  re-elected  to  the 
office  of  treasurer  of  the  board. 

The  th;rd  village  administration — 1875  to  1876 — was  head- 
ed by  S.  P.  Thompson,  as  president ;  Joseph  Green,  Thomas  Wat- 
kins,  W.  S.  Leach,  William  Glaze  and  T.  E.  Mullin  forming  the 
board.  L.  Armstrong  was  the  clerk  and  J.  S.  McFerren  was  named 
to  serve  his  third  consecutive  term  as  treasurer  of  the  village. 

The  last  village  administration — 1876  and  1877 — was  head- 
ed by  Samuel  Noggle  as  president,  the  board  being  composed  of 
the  following:  Thomas  Woolverton,  C.  Webb,  J.  Bedell,  Joseph 
Crouch  and  E.  D.  Frayne.  John  W.  Hughes  served  as  clerk  of  this 
board  and  W.  R.  Clark  was  its  treasurer. 

In  April  1877,  the  City  of  Hoopeston  was  incorporated.  The 
establishment  of  a  saloon  in  the  outskirts  of  the  village  some 
months  before  had  aroused  resentment  on  the  part  of  many  citi- 
zens of  the  thriving  little  city  and  the  first  election  issue  was, 
"No  license  for  saloons."  To  settle  this  matter  once  and  for  all,  a 
number  of  the  leading  citizens  gathered,  just  before  the  election 
of  city  officers,  in  a  little  room  on  Main  street,  about  where  the 
Dyer-Knox  building  now  stands  to  decide  the  future  policy  of  the 
city  regarding  the  liquor  traffic.  At  this  meeting  it  was  deter- 
mined that  a  city  could  be  built,  with  sidewalks,  streets  and 
schools  without  the  aid  of  revenue  from  saloons  and  from  this  lit- 
tle gathering  the  edict  went  forth  to  the  world  that  Hoopeston 
was  pre-eminently  and  distinctively  a  temperance  town,  and  that 
saloons  would  not  be  tolerated.  The  next  step  was  the  finding  of 
a  mayor  and  a  city  council  who  could — and  would — conduct  the 
affairs  of  the  young  city  on  this  basis.  Jacob  S.  McFerren, 
known  at  that  time  as  "The  Boy  Banker,"  was  asked  if  he  would 
accept  the  mayoralty  under  those  conditions.   He  agreed  to  do 


so  and  said  to  the  committee:  "If  you  will  find  me  a  council  who 
will  serve  me,  I  will  serve  without  salary,  so  that  the  money  or- 
dinarily  paid  out  for  that  purpose  may  in  part  make  up  for  the 
loss  in  license  revenue." 

Such  a  council  was  found  and  elected  as  follows:  Aldermen: 
First  Ward,  Thomas  Williams,  N.  Towell,  Johnathan  Bedell ;  Alder- 
men, Second  Ward,  A.  M.  Fleming,  John  N.  Miller  and  Joseph 
Crouch.  W.  M.  Young  was  elected  as  city  clerk ;  A.  Randies  as  city 
treasurer;  A.  E.  McDonald  was  city  attorney.  A.  H.  Young,  po- 
lice magistrate;  D.  P.  Haas,  marshal  and  Superintendent  of 
Streets,  J.  Diehl. 

It  was  soon  found  that  the  unpaid  services  of  the  council 
and  officers  was  illegal  and  that  their  acts  were  void.  In  order  to 
obviate  this  it  was  voted  to  pay  the  mayor  a  salary  of  $1  per  year 
and  the  aldermen  each  50  cents. 

Under  the  able  direction  of  the  first  city  officials  the  new 
municipality  prospered  and  grew  fast.  At  the  close  of  the  admin- 
istration it  was  estimated  that  the  population  of  the  city  was 
around  2,000  persons.  Gaps  in  the  business  district  were  being 
filled  up  with  the  coming  of  new  merchandising  enterprises.  The 
most  significant  fact  that  was  proved  by  the  first  administra- 
tion, however,  was  that  the  city  could  be  maintained  without  rev- 
enue from  saloon  licensing,  the  condition  of  the  city's  finances 
at  the  end  of  the  first  two  years  of  municipal  government  leaving 
no  doubts  in  the  minds  of  those  who  were  its  leaders.  Establish- 
ment of  the  custom  of  a  nominal  salary  for  the  mayor  and  board 
of  aldermen,  a  custom  that  is  observed  at  the  present  day,  by 
Mayor  J.  S.  McFerren,  is  another  outstanding  event  of  this  first 
administration. 


Chapter  11-1878  to  1895 


Second  City  Administration,  1878-1879 — Third  City  Administra- 
tion 1879-1880 — Alba  Honeywell  Heads  City  Government- 
First  Canning  Factory  is  Established— 1881-1882  City  Gov- 
ernment— Addition  of  Third  Ward  —  City  Growth — Develop- 
ment of  Canning  Industry — Hoopeston  Canning  Factory  Es- 
tablished—1882-1883;    1883-1884;    1884-1885,   1885   to   1895. 


So  well  did  the  city  prosper  and  grow  during  the  first  city 
administration  that  its  head,  Mayor  Jacob  S.  McFerren  was  re- 
elected without  opposition  in  April,  1878.  W.  M.  Young  had  been 
re-elected  as  city  clerk  and  S.  P.  Thompson  was  named  to  serve 
his  first  term  as  city  treasurer  succeeding  A.  Randes.  This  was 
due  to  the  passing  of  a  law  providing  that  no.  city  treaurer  couid 
become  a  candidate  to  succeed  himself,  in  force  from  the  organiza- 
tion of  Hoopeston  to  the  present  day.  A.  E.  McDonald  was  re- 
elected to  the  office  of  city  attorney  and  William  Glaze  became 
Police  Magistrate.  Aldermen  in  the  first  ward  were:  W.  I.  Hobert, 
W.  R.  Wilson  and  Samuel  Noggle.  Second  ward  aldermen  were: 
A.  M.  Fleming,  John  N.  Miller  and  Joseph  Crouch.  The  second 
city  administration  was  marked  by  continuing  growth  of  the  new 
city  and  establishing  of  the  fact  that  this  section  was  an  ideal  spot 
for  the  raising  of  sweet  corn.  Settlers  were  pouring  in  from  the 
eastern  states  and  land  values  rising.  Many  of  these  came  to  the 
new  town  to  make  their  home  while  others  located  on  the  farms 
surrounding  it.  The  town  becamie  the  clearing  center  for  the 
marketing  of  produce  of  these  farms  and  it  was  not  long  until 
means  of  making  this  of  greater  value  to  the  city  was  being  dis- 
cussed. No  action  industrially  was  taken  until  in  1880,  however, 
although  the  first  agitation  in  this  line  of  endeavor  properly  be- 
longs to  the  division  of  time  1878  to  1879. 

In  April,  1879,  when  the  time  rolled  around  for  the  next  city 
election,  efforts  were  made  to  have  J.  S.  McFerren  again  make  the 
race  for  mayor  of  this  city,  but  this  pioneer  citizen  refused  the 
honor.    Casting  about  for  a  suitable  citizen  to  maintain  the  pro- 


Alba  Honeywell,  Mayor  1S79  and  1880 


g  ressiveness  of  the  city  the  name  of  Alba  Honeywell  was  present- 
ed and  he  was  chosen  for  the  office.  There  was  no  change  in  the 
other  offices  of  the  city  government  with  the  exception  of  the 
election  of  J.  H.  Dyer  as  city  attorney  and  the  naming  of  T.  B. 
Tennery  as  city  marshal  and  superintendent  of  streets. 

In  the  summer  of  1880,  Stephen  S.  McCall,  an  experienced  can- 
cer from  the  State  of  New  York,  came  west  on  a  prospecting  trip, 
trying  to  find  a  place  where  sweet  corn  would  grow  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  warrant  the  establishment  of  a  canning  factory.  He 
was  attracted  to  Hoopeston  and  so  impressed  was  he  with  its  pos- 
sibilities as  a  corn  canning  center  that  he  established  the  first  corn 
canning  factory  here.  The  old  brick  building  which  had  served  as 
beadauarters  for  the  Snell.  Taylor  &  Mix  Construction  Company 
housed  this  first  canning  factory  which  was  a  financial  success 
from  the  start,  later  to  become  known  as  the  "Illinois  Canning 
Company." 

In  1881  the  city  had  grown  to  such  proportions  that  in  ordei.* 
to  equalize  the  burden  of  government  and  insure  representation  of 
all  sections  of  the  city  a  third  ward  was  added  to  the  political 
divisions  of  the  town.  At  the  same  time  another  change  was  made 
which  has  survived  to  the  present  day,  the  number  of  aldermen 
from  each  of  the  now  three  wards  of  the  city  being  placed  at  two, 
instead  of  three  who  had  formerly  served.  In  this  period — 1881- 
1882 — occurred  some  of  the  greatest  industrial  development  of 
the  city.  J.  S.  McFerren  had  again  been  called  upon  to  head  the 
city  government  in  the  capacity  of  mayor  and  William  Moore  and 
A.  H.  Trego  were  elected  as  aldermen  from  the  second  ward 
of  the  city.  M.  D.  Calkins  and  C.  W.  Gay  were  the  aldermen  from 
the  first  ward  while  L.  W.  Anderson  and  James  Hanna  were  the 
first  aldermen  to  serve  from  the  newly  organized  third  ward  of 
the  city.  Harlin  M.  Steely  served  as  city  attorney  from  1881  to 
1882.  Addition  of  a  new  city  official  was  also  noted  during  his 
period,  David  M.  Bingaman  serving  as  superintendent  of  streets. 
Previous  to  this  time  the  city  marshal  had  also  acted  in  this  ca- 
pacity but  the  town  had  grown  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  no 
longer  possible  for  the  marshal  to  care  for  the  duties  of  both 
offices. 

Influenced  by  the  success  of  the  canning  factory  established  by 
S.  F.  McCall,  in  the  summer  of  1882  J.  S.  McFerren,  A.  H.  Trego 
and  A.  T.  Catherwood  incorporated  the  Hoopeston  Canning  Fac- 
tory. This  second  industrial  enterprise  was  a  success  from  its 
inception  in  the  minds  of  the  three  incorporators  and  soon  became 
a  fitting  mate  for  the  Illinois  Canning  Company. 

Attracted  by  the  great  quantity  of  tin  cans  needed  here  by 
these  two  factories  every  year,  the  Union  Can  Manufacturing  com- 
pany was  established,  later  to  become  a  branch  of  the  American 
Can  Company,  one  of  the  greatest  concerns  of  its  nature  in  the 
world. 


10 


CHARLES  A.  ALLEN 


Member  of  Illinois  Legislature  1884-1902. 
City  Attorney  of  Hoopeston  1893-94-95. 
Police  Magistrate  of  Hoopeston  1923-1925. 


11 

Mayer  Jacob  S.  McFerren  served  the  city  in  the  capacity  of 
its  chief  executive  for  three  consecutive  terms  from  1881  until 
1884.  In  April  1884  he  was  re-elected  despite  his  protest  and  on 
April  21  resigned  to  be  succeeded  by  Samuel  P.  Thompson  who 
served  out  his  unexpired  term.  The  name  of  James  H.  Dyer  first 
appears  in  the  history  of  Hoopeston  in  the  1882  administration, 
his  first  political  office  being  that  of  alderman  from  the  third 
ward. 

The  word  had  gone  out  to  the  world  that  Hoooeston  was  a 
eighty  good  place  to  live,  the  attitude  toward  the  saloon  question 
aiding  in  fostering  this  belief.  The  fact  that  city  officials  served 
the  city  without  pay  was  another  factor  that  had  been  broadcast- 
ed to  the  word  at  large  by  this  time  and  the  words  of  J.  S.  Mc- 
Ferren establishing  this  custom  were  known  from  coast  to  coast. 
This  could  have  no  other  than  a  good  effect  on  the  thriving  city 
and  home  seekers  came  in  good  numbers.  The  end  of  the  year 
ls85  found  the  city  grown  marvellously  in  comparison  to  others 
of  greater  age. 

The  First  National  Bank  was  incorporated  in  1882  by  J.  S. 
McFerren,  being  the  outgrowth  of  the  bank  established  by  that 
pioneer  when  he  had  come  to  Hoopeston  as  a  settler.  It  was  the 
city's  first  financial  institution. 

Industries  established  up  to  the  end  of  this  year — 1^85 — 
had  all  prospered  and  grown  to  many  times  the  size  of  their  initial 
start.  So  great  had  been  the  almost  miraculous  growth  of  the 
new  town  that  it  was  referred  to  as  "the  metropolis  of  the 
prairie." 

The  period  from  1885  until  the  year  1895. — ten  years — saw 
this  growth  continued  and  steady  under  the  administrations  of  the 
following  mavors:  1885-88,  H.  L.  Bushnell ;  1888-89,  A.  H.  Trego; 
1889-90,  W.  P.  Pierce;  1890-91,  W.  P.  Pierce;  1891-1893,  W.  R- 
Wilson ;  1893-95,  James  H.  Dyer. 


Chapter  III— 1895-1919 


Administration  of  James  H.  Dyer — Street  Improvements — Fourth 
Ward  is  Added  to  City — J.  S.  McFerren  Heads  City  Again  in 
1901  —  Whitman  Granted  Franchise  for  Establishment  of 
Telephone  Exchange  in  1902 — Gas  Franchise  is  Granted  to 
Wakeman  in  1905 — Crary  and  Finley  Administrations — Mer- 
ritt  and  Moore  Administrations. 


In  1895 — under  the  administration  of  James  H.  Dyer  the 
first  street  improvement  in  the  form  of  paved  streets  had  bee.i 
done.  In  that  year  Main  street  was  paved  from.  Second  Avenue, 
to  Fourth  street ;  Market  street  from  Penn  street  to  the  L.  E.  &  W. 
railroad ;  Bank  street  from  Penn  street  to  Main  street ;  Penn 
street  from  eighth  street  west  to  the  city  limits;  Third  street 
from  Main  street  to  Penn  street  and  Second  Avenue  from  Penn 
street  to  the  L.  E.  &  W.  railroad.  The  paving  program  put  through 
in  that  one  year  was  the  greatest  in  the  history  of  the  city  up  to 
the  present  date.  In  1897-98-99  this  was  continued  with  the  pav- 
ing of  Market  street  from  McCracken  Avenue  to  the  L.  E.  &  W. 
railroad;  Honeywell  Avenue  from  Market  street  to  Seventh 
street ;  Main  street  from  Third  Avenue  to  Second  Avenue ;  Fourth 
street  from  Honeywell  Avenue  to  Lincoln  street ;  Second  Avenue 
from  Penn  street  south  to  the  city  limits;  Main  street  from 
Fourth  to  Eighth  street  and  Third  street  from  Penn  street  to 
I  jncoln  street. 

John  L.  Hamilton  was  at  the  head  of  the  city  government  as 
mayor  in  the  year  1900,  when  a  census  of  the  city  revealed  the 
necessity  of  the  addition  of  another  ward  to  the  three  already  in 
existence  in  order  to  furnish  proper  representation  to  all  people  re- 
siding in  the  city.  This  fourth  ward  was  accordingly  organized, 
J.  Carson  and  Otto  Johnson  being  elected  as  the  first  aldermen 
to  serve  in  the  city  council.    William  Moore  and  M.  H.  Lewis  were 


13 


D.  M.  ouanKland 


alderman  in  the  second  ward;  the  first  was  represented  by  John 
Bock  and  A.  L.  Shriver,  while  D.  M.  Shankland  and  L.  J.  Cox 
served  frv>m  the  third  ward.    C.  E.  Smith  was  city  clerk  and  A. 

L.  Knox,  treasurer.  William  York 
was  the  marshal  and  George  Webster, 
street  commissioner. 

The  year    1900  was    devoid  of 
street  improvement  and  it  was  not 
until  1901,  when  J.  S.  McFerren  was 
called   upon  once  more  to  head  the 
city  government  that  this  line  of  im- 
provement was  resumed.    Mayor  Mc- 
Ferren served  until  April,  1903,  and 
at  the  end  of  the  latter  year  the  fol- 
lowing streets  had  been  paved :  First 
Avenue  from  the  L.  E.  &  W.  railroad 
poufh  to  Washington  street;  Wash- 
ington street  from  First  Avenue  to 
Second  Avenue;  Market  street  from 
Penn  to  Orange  street ;  Market  street 
from  McCracken  Avenue  to  the  city  limits ;  Seminary  Avenue  from 
Market  street  to  the  east  line  of  Wallace  &  Catherwood's  addition ; 
Washington  street  from  the  C,  &  E.  I.  railroad  to  First  Avenue. 
In  the  year  1902,  J.  E.  Whitman  was  granted  a  franchise  by 
the  city  council  for  the  establishment  of  a  telephone  exchange 
in  the  city  limits  and  before  the  end  of  the  year  a  new  industry 
that  has  had  much  to  do  with  subsequent  development  of  the  city 
was  in  flourishing  condition. 

James  A.  Cunningham  took  over  the  reigns  of  the  city  gov- 
ernment in  April,  1903,  and  remained  the  city's  chief  executive 
until  the  year  1905,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Fred  Ayers,  who 
served  until  1907.  During  that  period  and  up  until  the  en  1  of 
1907,  the  following  streets  were  paved;  Washington  street  from 
the  C.  &  E.  I.  railroad  tracks  to  Euclid  Avenue;  Washington 
street  from  Second  Avenue  to  McFerren  Park ;  Lincoln  street  from 
I  Fourth  street  to  Euclid  Avenue;  Fourth  street  from  Lincoln  s'reet 
to  Orange  street;  Seventh  street  from  Penn  street  to  Washington 
street;  Young  Avenue  from  Market  street  to  Eighth  street; 
Lincoln  street  from  Fourth  street  to  the  C.  &  E.  I.  Railroad, 

In  November,  1905,  the  granting  of  a  franchise  to  C.  J.  Wake- 
man  to  manufacture  and  furnish  the  city  with  illuminating  gas 
took  place,  another  industrial  addition  which  was  to  mean  much 
to  the  city's  development. 

C.  S.  Crary  becamje  mayor  in  April,  1907,  serving  until  April 
1909,  when  H.  C.  Finley  replaced  him  to  serve  until  April,  1913, 
No  street  improvement  was  done  during  that  six-year  period  up 
until  the  time  that  I.  E.  Merritt  became  mayor  in  April,  1913.  In 
that  year  Main  street  was  paved  from  Third  to  Sixth  Avenue  and 


14 


CHARLES  FURNESS  DYER 
City  Attorney,  Hoopeston,  Illinois,  1913-1925 


15 


the  first  alley  south  of  Main  street  from  Bank  street  east  to 
Market  street.  In  1914  Penn  street  was  paved  from  a  point  100 
feet  east  of  Sixth  Avenue  to  the  city  limits. 


C.  S.  Crary 


H.  C.  Finley 


The  ascession  of  I.  E.  Merritt  to  the  post  of  Mayor  of  Hoop- 
eston  was  marked  by  many  interesting  facts,  the  period  between 
1913  and  1918  being  remembered  as  productive  of  many  civic 
benefits  that  have  had  a  lasting  good  effect  upon  the  city.  Mayor 
Merritt  was  fortunate  in  his  board  of  aldermen,  the  men  given  him 
by  the  people  of  Hoopeston  in  his  two  terms  being  of  a  calibre  that 
made  it  possible  for  the  doing  of  many  things  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  city.    The  board  of  aldermen  was  as  follows : 

First  ward:  Walter  C.  Hol-ves  and  John  Rubrake,  succeeded 
by  Dow  Woods ;  Second  ward :  Arthur  W.  Murray  and  Arthur  H. 
Campbell,  succeeded  by  Charles  W.  Warner;  Third  ward:  A.  M. 
Earel  and  D.  M.  Shankland;  Fourth  Ward:  H.  A.  Vines  and  W.  N. 
Ferguson,  succeeded  by  B.  R.  Burton.  C.  E.  Mitchell  was  the  city 
clerk;  John  O.  Klein,  treasurer;  W.  K.  Dixon,  city  marshal  and 
John  Cullison,  street  commissioner.  Charles  F.  Dyer,  junior  mem- 
ber of  the  law  firm  of  Dyer  &  Dyer,  had  been  chosen  city  attor- 
ney, a  position  he  was  to  hold  successively  from  then  to  the  year 
1925. 

Included  among  the  achievements  of  Mayor  I.  E.  Merritt's 
administration  was  the  paving  of  West  Main  street ;  Sixth  avenue ; 
Orange  street,  West  Penn  street,  Maple  street  and  of  the  alley 
between  Main  and  Penn  streets,  from  Market  to  Bank  street. 


WILLIAM  MOORE 
Mayor  of  Hoopeston  1917-19 


17 

The  rest  room  at  McFerren  park,  which  had  been  given  to  the 
«city  by  J.  S.  McFerren,  was  built  and  the  balance  paid  on  the  cost 
of  construction  of  the  pavilion  at  the  park.  The  lagoon  at  Mc- 
Ferren park,  one  of  the  beauty  spots  of  the  pleasure  grounds  can 
also  be  credited  to  Mayor  Merritt  and  his  co-workers,  as  well  as 
the  beautifying  of  the  grounds  by  the  setting  out  of  many  trees 
and  shrubs,  which  people  of  Hoopeston  are  today  enjoying. 

Municipal  imnrovements  included  the  sinking  of  two  wells 
at  the  city  pumping  station  improving  and  increasing  the  city's 
water  supply  for  both  domestic  and  fire  protection  use.  This  had 
been  one  matter  in  which  the  city  had  been  backward  up  to  that 
time  and  the  two  new  wells  served  for  many  years,  before  addi- 
tional improvements  were  necessary  to  keep  pace  with  the  fast 
growing  city. 

Construction  of  a  city  septic  disposal  plant  is  another  achieve- 
ment of  the  Merritt  administrations,  deserving  of  comment,  as 
is  the  fact  that  the  vault  was  placed  in  the  city  building  and 
later  improved.  This  vault  holds  the  records  of  Hoopeston  since 
its  organization,  the  minutes  of  each  council  since  the  first,  pre- 
sided over  by  J.  S.  McFerren,  and  other  valuable  data  such  as 
election  records,  etc.,  which  each  year  become  more  valuable. 
Their  protection  from  fire  and  other  possible  loss  was  the  main 
.incentive  for  the  construction  of  the  vault  at  the  city  building, 
advocated  by  Mayor  Merritt  and  strongly  supported  by  his  co- 
workers. 

Another  city  improvement  that  was  to  mark  the  growth  of 
the  city  from  a  "country  trading  center"  into  the  class  of  a 
modern  city,  was  the  installation  of  a  lighting  system  on  Main 
street,  giving  Hoopeston  the  start  of  a  white  way.  Cluster  type 
lights  were  installed  throughout  the  business  section  of  the  city, 
which  were  to  remain  in  use  until  1925. 

A  new  city  official,  made  necessary  by  conditions  that  were 
the  result  of  the  growth  of  the  city  was  authorized  during  Mayor 
Merritt's  administration,  when  women  of  Hoopeston,  following 
a  mass  meeting,  visited  the  council  chamber  and  asked  for  the 
ippointment  of  a  Police  Matron  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  girls 
of  the  city  and  such  other  matters  as  could  be  completely  left  in 
the  charge  of  such  an  official.  The  request  was  granted  and  a 
police  matron  named,  which  custom  has  been  followed  by  each 
succeeding  administration  to  the  present  day. 

The  next  mayor  of  Hoopeston,  1917  to  1919,  was  one  of  the 
eld  pioneers,  one  of  the  men  to  whom  Hoopeston  in  truth  owed 
its  existence  and  who  despite  this  fact  had  never  been  called  upon 
to  serve  in  the  position  of  chief  executive,  although  he  had,  while 
a  member  of  the  council  in  1881,  displayed  qualities  of  leadership 
that  made  him  almost  an  ideal  man  for  the  job.  William  Moore, 
one  of  the  citizens  of  Hoopeston  who  is  never  forgotten  when 
the  men  who  have  done  the  most  for  the  city  are  named  over,  was 


18 

chosen  as  the  chief  executive  and  became  Hoopeston's  "war 
mayor,"  serving  during  the  troubled  times  of  1917  to  1919,  en- 
tirely through  the  world  conflict. 

Just  a  few  days  before  he  was  inaugurated,  the  world  was 
startled  with  the  declaration  of  war  voted  by  the  United  States 
congress  and  it  was  his  duty  to  guide  Hoopeston  through  the 
troubled  days  of  mobilization,  when  executive  tasks  were  almost 
doubled  due  to  the  demands  of  the  military. 

How  Hoopeston  responded  to  the  call  for  service  issued  by 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  Woodrow  Wilson,  is  better 
told  in  another  section  of  this  book,  (Hoopeston  in  the  Worid 
War) ,  and  it  is  sufficient  to  say  here,  that  under  the  able  guidance 
of  Mayor  William  Moore  and  his  council,  aided  by  the  patriotic 
citizens  of  this  section,  Hoopeston  came  through  the  period  of 
stress  with  flying  colors,  making  a  record  that  has  been  equalled 
by  few  cities  of  the  same  size  in  the  state  and  that  has  been  ex- 
celled by  none  in  the  nation. 

World  affairs  and  the  drain  on  the  nation's  resources  brought 
about  by  the  world  war  made  a  policy  of  rigid  economy  necessary 
for  the  city  during  the  period  from  1917  to  1919  and  it  is  perhaps 
because  of  this  that  few  improvements  of  a  noteworthy  character 
were  made  in  that  time.  Certain  it  is  that  in  leaving  the  city  at 
the  end  of  1919  in  better  financial  shape  than  when  he  took 
office  and  maintaining  the  city  at  an  "even  keel"  during  the  turbu- 
lent war  days,  Mayor  Moore  and  his  administration  achieved  a 
record  that  is  worthy  of  comment. 

One  outstanding  fact,  representative  of  the  spirit  of  Hoopes- 
ton in  1917-1919  is  perhaps  worthy  of  note  here.  When  the  World 
War  broke  out  City  Attorney  Charles  F.  Dyer  immediately  placed 
himself  at  the  disposal  of  his  country's  military  forces,  was  com- 
missioned and  sent  overseas.  In  1919  with  his  company  still  in 
France,  Captain  Dyer  was  elected  to  the  post  of  City  Attorney 
without  opposition,  those  who  were  at  home  feeling  it  an  honor 
to  so  reward  one  of  their  "fighting  sons." 


t 


Chapter  IV— 1919-19S 


.^ohn  A.  Heaton  Takes  Office  for  First  Term — Fire  Department  is 
Motorized — Paving  Improvements — Heaton  Re-Elected  in 
1921  and  1923 — The  Waterworks  Improvement — Gateway  is 
Established  for  City  on  West  Main  Street — Industrial  Prog- 
ress is  Noted — D.  J.  McFerren  is  Elected  Mayor  and  Takes 
Office  in  April  1925. 


-  The  six  year  period  from  1919  to  1925 — the  three  administra- 
tions of  Mayor  John  A.  Heaton,  are  marked  by  many  things 
wherein  the  city  of  Hoopeston  was  advanced.     Mayor  John   A. 

Heaton  at  the  time  of  his  retire- 
ment from  office  in  April,  1925, 
had  served  for  six  consecutive 
years,  three  terms,  he  being  the 
only  mayor  of  Hoopeston  to  be 
accorded  that  distinction  in  the 
over  a  half  century  since  the 
founding  of  the  city.  Only  one 
other  man,  Mayor  J.  S.  McFer- 
ren, was  accorded  the  honor  of 
being  elected  to  the  office  of 
chief  executive  of  Hoopeston  for 
more  than  two  terms,  and  at  no 
time  in  the  many  years  that  he 
served  the  city,  did  Mayor  Mc- 
Ferren serve  for  more  than 
four  years  consecutively. 

Mayor  Heaton  took  office  in 
April,  1919,  with  the  following 
aldermen —  FiiMt  ward:  J.  W. 
Cox  and  Walter  Holmes ;  Second 
Ward:  G.  C.  Trego  and  Charles 
W.  Warner:  Third  Ward:  Fred 
Parks  and  E.  J.  Keister;  Fourth 
Ward:  C.  E.  Musson  and  A.  M. 
Kellar. 

The  first  improvement  of  a 
civic  nature  undertaken  by  the  Heaton  administration  during  the 
first  term  of  office  in  1920  came  when  it  was  decided  to  gravel 


Ex-Mayor  John  A.  Heaton 


20 

6t  cinder  all  streets  in  the  city  that  were  not  paved.     This  was 
carried  through  successfully. 

In  1920  also  came  a  step  forward  in  the  matter  of  fire  protec- 
tion better  than  any  that  had  ever  been  taken  previously  in 
the  city.  After  much  discussion  and  the  promise  of  co-operation 
and  support  from  the  city's  volunteer  fire  company  it  was 
determined  to  purchase  a  fire  truck  for  the  city  and  at  least  par- 
tially motorize  the  fire  department.  The  truck  was  purchased 
and  is  still  in  use,  having  proved  its  value  at  many  times  in  the 
past  five  years  by  the  amount  of  possible  loss  from  fires  it  has 
prevented.  Advocated  for  many  months  by  Chester  A.  Aldrichr 
editor  of  The  Chronicle-Herald,  as  well  as  by  all  citizens  of  the 
city  who  had  made  the  matter  of  fire  protection  a  subject  for 
study,  the  decision  to  purchase  the  truck  was  hailed  as  a  great 
step  forward  by  the  majority  of  residents. 

The  paving  of  Fifth  street  and  Seventh  street  were  also 
undertaken  in  the  year  1920  and  carried  to  a  successful  conclusion 
by  the  Heaton  administration  and  this  was  followed  in  1921  by 
the  resurfacing  of  Honeywell  Avenue  and  Washington  street. 

The  city's  revenue  for  the  purpose  of  maintenance  of  streets 
and  repairing  paved  streets  within  the  city  was  greatly  increased 
during  the  year  1921,  when  advocated  by  Mayor  Heaton  and  a 
majority  of  the  council,  the  wheel  tax  ordinance  was  passed.  This 
wheel  tax  ordinance  places  a  small  tax  on  vehicles  of  every  descrip- 
tion that  use  the  city  streets  and  from  the  first  year  that  it  was 
placed  in  effect  proved  its  usefulness  to  the  city  in  making  it 
possible  to  repair  and  maintain  streets. 

In  1922  the  paving  of  West  Main  street  was  completed  by  the 
Heaton  administration  and  it  was  during  this  year  that  an  im- 
provement was  first  proposed  that  was  later  to  be  consummated 
by  Mayor  Heaton  and  his  co-workers  and  that  perhaps  will  stand 
for  many  years  as  the  most  outstanding  improvement  of  the  en- 
tire six  years.  This  was  the  providing  of  a  more  adequate  water 
supply  for  domestic  use  and  for  fire  protection  to  the  city.  When 
the  matter  was  first  brought  before  the  council  a  committee  was 
appointed  and  it  was  determined  that  engineers  would  be  employ- 
ed to  investigate  the  entire  problem  in  Hoopeston  and  work  out  a 
plan  whereby  the  matter  could  be  most  efficiently  and  econom- 
ically solved.  The  firm  of  Pearse,  Greeley  &  Hanson,  of  Chicago, 
were  employed  to  do  this  work  and  made  an  exhaustive  investiga- 
tion. Eight  months  of  time  were  consumed  before  the  report  of 
the  engineers  was  made  to  the  council  and  they  had  been  satisfied 
on  all  points  after  which  it  was  decided  to  go  ahead  with  the  im- 
provement. C.  E.  Musson,  alderman  from  the  fourth  ward,  chair- 
man of  the  fire  and  water  committee  of  the  council  is  another 
who  is  deserving  of  much  of  the  credit  for  this  improvement. 
Alderman  Musson  was  tireless  in  his  efforts  to  bring  about  a 


21 

desire  for  the  improvement  and  later  to  work  out  adequate  and 
complete  plans  for  it. 

It  was  not  until  1923  that  actual  work  was  started  at  the 
waterworks  resulting  in  the  sinking  of  an  extra  well,  erection  of 
a  new  reservoir  and  the  maintaining  of  both  pressure  pumps  at 
the  institution  in  such  condition  that  either  can  be  used  at  any 
time  to  carry  the  load  of  ordinary  usage  while  the  other  is  free 
to  supply  water  for  an  emergency  such  as  a  big  fire. 

One  other  improvement  came  in  the  year  1923  that  can  be 
placed  partly  to  the  credit  of  the  city  administration  although  the 
major  portion  of  the  credit  perhaps  belongs  to  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  which  sponsored  and  actually  carried  through  the 
work.  This  was  the  placing  of  ornamental  gates  at  the  junction 
of  the  Dixie  Highway  and  West  Main  street,  that  tell  travelers- 
by,  on  the  great  main  artery  of  travel,  that  just  beyond  lies 
Hoopeston,  "the  best  6,000  city  in  Illinois."  The  gateway  does 
not  bear  those  words,  but  there  are  few  places  in  the  land  where 
the  little  Illinois  city  is  not  known  today,  and  wherever  it  is  known, 
that  fact  has  been  woven  into  the  legend  of  its  existence  in  the 
mind  of  the  stranger. 

Hoopeston  during  the  six  years  of  the  Heaton  administration 
experienced  one  of  the  greatest  industrial  booms  of  its  entire 
fifty  year  existence.  Not  in  the  matter  of  new  enterprises  estab- 
lishing themselves  here,  but  in  solid  and  substantial  growth  of 
those  already  here.  The  taking  over  of  the  Sprague  Canning  Ma- 
chinery Company,  by  the  Sprague-Sells  Corporation  was  perhaps 
the  start  of  this  growth  or  at  least  its  greatest  contributing  fac- 
tor. Immense  additions  to  the  factory  of  The  American  Can  Com- 
pany on  West  Main  street,  completed  in  1925,  make  this  plant 
of  the  great  corporation  the  largest  in  the  point  of  floor  space, 
in  the  United  States. 

The  Illinois  Canning  Company,  with  the  building  of  new 
barns  in  1925,  and  the  making  of  many  other  extensive  improve- 
ments to  their  buildings  increasing  their  floor  space  and  general 
capacity  is  another  improvement  worthy  of  note  at  this  time.  It 
has  been  computed  that  the  industrial  wealth  and  capacity  of 
the  city  almost  doubled  in  the  six  years  from  1919  to  1925,  a  fact 
that  not  only  is  worthy  of  recording  for  the  past,  but  that  augurs 
a  bright  prospect  for  the  future. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  city  in  1925,  when  the  first 
cycle  in  the  history  of  Hoopeston  was  completed  by  the  ascession 
of  the  second  generation  to  posts  of  power  and  responsibility.  In 
1922  had  occurred  the  death  of  J.  S.  McFerren,  guardian  angel  of 
Hoopeston.  His  sons,  William  McFerren  and  Donald  J.  McFerren 
took  up  the  work  of  building  for  Hoopeston  where  he  had  left  off. 
William  McFerren  was  named  the  president  of  the  First  National 
Bank,  following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father  in  the  banking 
business. 


22 


D.  J.  MeFerren,  Mayor  of  Hoopeston 


23 


Walter  Holmes 


L.  D.  Wood 


In  1925,  Donald  J.  McFerren  fulfilled  the  hopes  of  those  who 
had  ever  been  the  friends  and  followers  of  his  father,  when  he 
became  a  candidate  for  mayor  and  was  elected  without  opposition 
to  the  office  so  mjany  times  filled  efficiently  and  wisely  by  his 
father.  This  completed  the  cycle  from  generation  to  generation 
in  Hoopeston  and  marks  a  fitting  place  for  the  chronicling  of 
the  events  of  the  city  that  in  a  little  over  fifty  years  has  grown 
from  the  open  spaces  of  the  prairie  to  a  thriving  beehive  of  in- 
dustry. 

Members  of  the  present 

city  council  are :  first  ward, 

Walter  Holmes  and   L.  D. 

Woods;  second  ward,  Chas. 

Hughes  and  J.  A.  Harlan; 

third  ward,  Fred  Parks  and 

Fred  Swisher;  fourth  ward, 

Frank  Gardner  and  CM. 

Ray. 

City  officers  for  1925-26 

are:  Chief  of  Police  C.  0. 

Musson;   Night  Policemen, 

Arthur  J.  Nichols  and  Monr. 

Pickrell.  City  Attorney,  G. 

H.  Couchman ;  City  Matron, 
Mrs.  Eliza  Mann;  Cemetery  Superintendent,  Roy  Smith;  Water 
Collector,  William  Sharon;  Health  Officer,  Dr.  A.  J.  Clay. 

Mayor  Donald  J.  McFerren  took  the  oath  of  office  as  Mayor 
of  Hoopeston  on  May  4,  1925.  As  Mayor  John  A.  Heaton  turned 
over  the  duties  of  his  office  to  the  new  mayor,  Donald  J.  Mc- 
Ferren, Alderman  J.  A.  Harlan,  on  behalf  of  the  old  council,  many 
of  whom  had  served  the  entire  six  years  with  Mayor  Heaton,  pre- 
sented him  with  a  beautiful  token  in  the  shape  of  a  fountain  pen 
with  the  following  words: 

"You  have  been  our  Mayor  for  six  long  years.  One  other  ha  3 
served  as  long  as  you  at  various  times  in  the  past,  but  you  hav^ 
the  distinction  of  being  the  only  Mayor  to  serve  us  three  consec- 
utive times.  You  are  about  to  lay  down  the  gavel  and  to  vacate 
the  seat  of  Mayor.  We  are  sorry  to  see  you  go  for  you  have  been 
a  good  Mayor.  You  have  always  had  the  interests  of  the  city  at 
heart.  You  have  labored  conscientiously  and  well,  you  have  been 
prompt  and  always  done  what  seemed  best  at  the  time.  You  have 
been  careful  in  your  appointments  and  always  strived  to  have 
harmony  among  the  council.  Such  efforts  cannot  help  but  bring 
good  results.  It  will  be  useless  for  me  to  enumerate  the  accom- 
plishments of  your  administration ;  we  all  know  what  they  are. 
As  I  said  before  we  are  sorry  to  see  you  go  but  such  is  the  order 
of  things.  On  behalf  of  the  old  council  I  wish  to  present  you 
with  a  small  token.    Do  not  prize  it  for  its  intrinsic  value,  for  that 


24   " 


is  like  your  salary,  but  cherish  it  and  accept  it  in  the  spirit  in 
which  it  is  given  and  when  the  years  roll  by  and  our  fair  city  has 
grown  to  be  a  metropolis,  you  can  well  and  truthfully  say,  "I 
built  better  than  I  knew." 

Presiding  over  the  council  for  the  first  time  in  his  capacity 

as  mayor,  D.  J.  McFerren 
made  the  following  talk, 
which  is  in  this  form  pre- 
served to  the  history  of  Hoop- 
eston, as  was  that  other  of  his 
father  when  he  assumed  of- 
fice as  the  first  mayor  of 
Hoopeston: 
Gentlemen  of  the  Council: 

Realizing  the  honor  be- 
stowed upon  me  by  the  people 
of  Hoopeston  I  consider  this 
to  be  the  most  "opportune  mo- 
ment to  express  my  apprecia- 
tion and  to  assure  you  how 
deeply  I  feel  the  responsibili- 
ties of  my  appointment. 

My  father,  as  you  all  know, 
was  many  times  Mayor  and 
knowing  how  loyal  and  sin- 
cere was  his  interest  in  the 
wrelfare  and  development  of 
the  city  I  shall  strive  to  do 
all  in  my  power,  to  continue 
with  the  improvements  and  good  management  which  were  started 
by  him  and  have  been  so  successfully  carried  on  by  his  success- 
ors. I  take  up  the  duties  of  this  office  free  from  all  alliances  and 
without  any  promises  made  before  my  election. 

Having  always  lived  in  Hoopeston  I  think  that  I  am  quite 
familiar  with  the  conditions  and  requirements  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  our  city's  affairs.  By  this  I  do  not  mean  that  at  the 
present  moment  I  already  know  all  the  questions  which  will  arise 
during  my  term  in  office  nor  do  I  know  how  they  are  to  be  solved, 
but  I  feel  confident  that  with  the  co-operation  and  assistance  of 
the  council  I  shall  be  able  to  deal  with  and  deci'de  these  matters 
to  the  satisfaction  and  benefit  of  the  city. 

I  have  no  set  plan  of  work  or  any  one  thing  in  mind  to  pre- 
sent to  you  as  I  feel  that  the  needs  of  the  city  and  the  policy  of 
any  action  should  be  considered  and  planned  with  the  council 
which  represents  the  popular  sentiments  and  feelings  of  all  the 
citizens  of  Hoopeston.  I  might,  however,  in  this  connection 
recommend  the  following: 


Dr.  A.  J.  Clay 
City  Health  Officer 


City  Attorney  of  Hoopeston,  1925.  Graduate 
of  Illinois  Wesleyan  University  with  degree  of 
LLB.,  Five  Years  Secretary  to  Justice  William  M. 
Farmer,  of  the  Illinois  Supreme  Court,  1913  to  1918. 
Senior  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Couchman  & 
Couchman,  Fifth  Floor,  Willdon  Building,  Hoopes- 
ton, Illinois. 


UNIVERSE    *  ' 


25 

First:     That    all  property    owners,    whether  residential    or 
business,  be  #iven  adequate  fire  protection. 

Second:     That  all  parts  of  our  city  be  furnished  or  provided 
-with  proper  drainage. 

Third :  That  our  many  miles  of  paved  streets  be  maintained 
m  good  condition. 

Fourth:     That  the  city  ordinances  be  strictly  enforced. 

*  .^?^th:     That  the  duties  of  the  appointees     be    performed 
faithfully  and  efficiently.. 

No  city  can  stand  still,  it  must  either  move  forward  or  back- 
ward. For  the  next  two  years  the  course  of  the  city  is  largely  in 
the  hands  of  our  council.  Let  ns  hope  that  by  friendly  eo-opera- 
tion,  good  administration  and  reasonable  taxation  that  course 
will  be  unanimously  proclaimed  as  a  step  onward  towards  a  still 
anore  prosperous  and  flourishing  city. 


Political  Subdivisions 

The  city  of  Hoopeston  is  divided  into  four  wards  as  follows: 

FIRST  WARD— All  that  part  of  territory  of  said  city  lyino- 
*outh  of  the  center  line  of  the  Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railroad*  and 
vest  of  the  center  line  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad 
)e  and  is  the  same  hereby  declared  to  be  the  first  ward* 

I  SECOND  WARI>— All  that  part  of  territory  of  said  cit* 
ymg  south  of  the  center  line  of  the  Lake  Erie  and  Western  rail- 
road and  the  center  line  of  Fifth  street  is  the  Second  Ward. 

™IRP  WARD--A11  that  Part  of  territory  of  said  city  lying 
orth  of  the  center  line  of  the  Lake  Erie  and  Western  Railroad 
nd  west  of  the  center  line  of  Fifth  street  is  declared  to  be  th* 
urd  ward, 

F,  FP™TH  WARD— All  that  part  or  territory  of  said  city  lying 
st  of  the  center  line  of  Fifth  street  is  declared  to  be  the  Fourth 
ard, 


Hoopeston  in  the  World  War 


General  Review — Organization  of  Company  B,  129th  Infantry  as 
Unit  of  Illinois  National  Guard — Changes  in  Officers — Service 
on  the  Mexican  Border — Start  of  World  War — Sent  Overseas 
to  France — French  Battlefields — The  Honor  Roll — Home  Ac- 
tivities—The Community  War  Chest— The  Red  Cross— The 
Draft  Board. 


Few  citizens  of  Hoopeston  can  look  back  upon  the  period  from 
April,  1917,  to  November  11,  1918,  without  a  thrill  of  pride,  a  tight- 
ing  of  the  heart  at  the  memory  of  anxious  days,  when  each  night 
the  casualty  list  was  scanned,  when  each  day  brought  its  fresh 
horror  in  the  names  of  those  listed  as  "dead,"  "seriously  wounded," 
"missing,"  etc.  Hoopeston's  part  in  the  world  war  was  played 
with  no  less  patriotism  and  devotion  than  that  accorded  by  anv 
other  city  in  the  nation  of  its  size.  Hoopeston  gave  freely  of  her 
sons  for  Military  service  and  those  who  were  forced  to  stay  at 
home  for  many  and  varied  causes,  did  their  "bit"  by  throwing 
themselves  heart  and  soul  into  the  vast  tasks  that  were  demand- 
ed of  them,  that  the  army  at  the  front  might  live  and  remain  in 
condition  for  their  difficult  task. 

The  first  phase  of  Hoopeston  in  the  world  war  rightly  belongs 
to  the  military  angle.  To  the  men  who  gave  up  their  homes  and 
everything  they  held  dear  to  travel  thousands  of  miles  across  seas 
to  fight  a  treacherous  foe  on  a  foreign  soil.  And  the  history  of 
military  operations,  insofar  as  Hoopeston  is  concerned,  starts 
properly  with  the  chronicling  of  events  in  the  organization  known 
as  Company  B,  129th  Infantry,  the  national  guard  unit,  which 
was  composed  largely  of  Hoopeston  boys  and  which  was  ordered 
into  service  from  this  city. 

Twelve  years  ago  in  June,  1919,  Company  B,  Hoopeston's 
crack  military  organization,  came  into  existence.  Its  formation 
was  due  to  the  efforts  of  Earl  C.  Thornton,  now  Major  E.  C.  Thorn- 
ton, who  was  elevated  to  the  command  of  the  third  battalion, 
129th  Infantry,  and  a  number  of  other  patriotic  young  men  of 


29 

Hoopeston,  who  conceived  the  idea  of  organizing  a  unit  of  the 
Illinois'  National  guard  in  this  city. 

Major  Thornton's  previous  military  experience  naturally 
made  him  a  leader  in  the  movement  to  organize  a  branch  of  the 
state  militia  in  Hoopeston,  he  being  at  that  time,  the  year  1907, 
a  top  sergeant  in  Battery  A.,  of  Danville,  Major  Thornton  had 
been  identified  with  Battery  A.,  almost  from  the  date  of  its 
organization  and  served  with  the  Danville  battery  in  the  Spanish 
American  war,  participating  in  the  Porto  Rican  campaign. 

No  great  diffculty  was  experienced  in  interesting  a  large 
number  of  Hoopeston  young  men  in  the  embryo  company,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  John  N.  Allen  and  Walter  Trego,  within 
a  very  short  time  sixty-five  members  had  been  secured,  and  in 
due  time  the  company  was  inducted  into  the  Illinois  National 
guard,  becoming  a  unit  of  the  Third  Regiment.  The  first  officers 
elected  resulted  in  Major  Thornton  being  chosen  captain;  John 
N.  Allen,  first  lieutenant  and  Walter  Trego,  second  lieutenant. 
Headquarters  for  the  company  were  obtained,  the  entire  second 
floor  of  what  was  then  known  as  the  Armory  building  on  South 
Market  Street,  being  utilized  as  quarters.  Weekly  drills  were  held. 
Under  the  instruction  of  Captain  Thornton,  the  company  was 
quickly  rounded  into  a  first-class  military  organization  passing 
inspection  with  flying  colors. 

Two  years  following  its  organization  Company  B  was  called 
upon  to  perform  actual  military  duty.  In  August,  1909,  Spring- 
field, the  state  capital,  became  the  scene  of  one  of  the  most 
serious  race  riots  in  the  history  of  Illinois.  A  murder  committed 
by  a  negro  was  followed  by  an  outbreak  of  rioting,  which  re- 
sulted in  a  great  portion  of  the  negro  residential  section  of  the 
capital  city  being  destroyed  by  fires.  Mob  rule  prevailed  and  it 
became  necessary  for  Governor  Charles  S.  Deneen  to  call  upon 
the  national  guard  to  restore  order.  Hoopeston's  company  was 
among  the  national  guard  units  sumjmoned  and  the  local  boys 
promptly  responded.  The  company  spent  one  week  in  the  state 
capital,  doing  patrol  duty,  at  the  end  of  which  time  mob  violence 
having  been  quelled  and  order  restored,  the  Hoopeston  boys  re- 
turned home,  having  acquitted  themselves  creditably  in  their 
first  active  duty. 

Shortly  after  the  organization  of  the  company,  the  boys  had 
their  first  experience  in  a  state  camp,  going  to  Camp  Lincoln, 
Springfield,  where  they  remained  one  week.  In  the  succeeding 
>ears,  these  yearly  encampments  were  eagerly  looked  forward 
to,  as  a  desirable  outing  and  their  visit  to  similar  events  at  Dixon, 
Elgin,  and  elsewhere,  resulted  in  putting  finishing  touches  to  their 
military  training. 

Very  few  changes  were  made  in  the  roster  of  officers  of  the 
company,  throughout  its  more  than  twelve  years  of  existence. 
Major  Thornton,  the  first  captain,  passed  the  necessary  examina- 


30 

tion  and  received  his  commission,  remaining  in  command  of  Com- 
pany B  until  shortly  after  its  return  from  the  Mexican  border, 
on  February  21,  1921.  While  at  Fort  Sheridan,  Illinois,  awaiting 
the  mustering  of  the  company  out  of  the  United  States  service, 
he  was  promoted  to  major  of  the  Third  Battalion  of  the  Third 
Regiment*  upon  the  resignation  of  Major  E.  E.  Leonard,  of  Rock- 
lord. 

First  Lieutenant  John  N.  Allen  and  Second  Lieutenant  Wal- 
ler Trego,  who  were  elected  for  the  first  three  years  of  the  exist- 
ence of  Company  B  resigned  at  the  end  of  this  period  of  service 
and  they  were  succeeded  by  C.  E.  Wfellman,  First  Lieutenant, 
and  John  H.  Steward,  second  lieutenant.  Both  passed  examinations 
satisfactorily  and  received  their  corn-missions  but  Lieut.  Wellman 
resigned  in  1911  and  went  to  Danville,  being  succeeded  as  first 
lieutenant  by  John  H.  Steward,  while  Leroy  Songer  was  elected 
second  lieutenant.  Both  of  these  officers  retained  their  positions 
until  after  the  return  of  Company  B  from  the  Mexican  border, 
when  by  reason  of  the  promotion  of  Lieut.  Steward  to  become 
captain,  succeeding  Captain  Thornton,  who  as  previously  mention- 
ed had  gone  up  to  the  rank  of  major,  and  the  resignation  of  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  Roy  Songer,  Mitchell  S.  Cash  was  elected  first  lieu- 
tenant and  Lloyd  P.  Petry  was  chosen  second  lieutenant. 

During  the  most  of  the  period  of  its  existence,  Company  B 
had  an  up  and  down  career  and  there  were  times  when  lack  of 
interest  in  the  organization  almost  resulted  in  its  disbandment. 
Only  the  enthusiasm  of  Captain  Thornton  and  Messrs.  Steward, 
Songer  and  others,  in  whose  veins  flowed  the  red  blood  of  patrio- 
tism, kept  the  organization  intact.  These  men  never  waned  in  their 
enthusiasm  and  when  enlistments  expired  the  company  rolls  drop- 
ped as  low  at  times  to  only  number  40  or  more  odd  men,  they  re- 
tained their  courage  and  put  forth  even  greater  efforts  to  arouse 
interest  in  the  part  of  young  men  and  induced  them  to  enlist. 
It  was  a  tough  task,  owing  to  the  disinclination  of  the  youth  of 
Hoopeston  to  indulge  in  the  dull  routine  of  weekly  drills  and 
dry  military  procedure. 

Early  in  the  year  1916,  however,  when  the  situation  on  the 
Mexican  border  assumed  a  serious  aspect  and  rumors  of  im- 
pending hostilities  spread  throughout  the  land,  increased  interest 
was  manifested  in  the  ranks  of  Hoopeston  young  men.  Patriotism 
became  rampant  on  June  19,  1916,  when  President  Woodrow 
Wilson  issued  his  famous  call,  summoning  the  entire  national 
guard  into  the  military  service  for  duty  on  the  Mexican  border, 
orders  coming  the  following  morning  to  mobilize  Company  B  and 
hold  the  members  in  service  to  proceed  momentarily  to  the  mo- 
bilization camp.  Five  days  later  Company  B  entrained  for  Camp 
Dunne,  Spring-field,  where  other  units  of  the  Third  Regiment 
had  been  mobilized.  Prior  to  departure  for  the  Mexican  border, 
final  medical  inspection  was  given  at  Camp  Dunn  and  to  Company 


3i 


CAPTAIN  JOHN  H.  STEWARD 


32 

B  went  an  honor  unequalled  by  any  other  national  guard  company 
of  Illinois — namely,  not  a  single  memiber  was  rejected  on  ac- 
count of  physical  disability. 

Eight  months  was  spent  by  Company  B,  within  less  than  200 
miles  from  the  Mexican  border,  where  under  ntrict  military  reg- 
ulation they  were  made  fit  for  the  rigors  of  a  long  campaign,  but 
the  desire  of  the  men  to  tackle  the  Mexicans  was  never  realized. 
The  display  of  force  on  the  part  of  Uncle  Sam  put  a  damper  on 
the  arrogance  of  the  Carranza  government  and  cooled  their  ardor 
to  provoke  the  United  States  to  war. 

After  matters  had  become  quiet  and  all  dangers  of  an  armed 
clash  had  subsided,  national  guard  troops  were  gradually  with- 
drawn and  on  February  21,  1917,  Company  B  was  transferred 
to  Fort  Sheridan,  Illinois,  where  it  was  forrrally  mustered  out 
of  the  service  and  arriving  horr>e  shortly  thereafter,  was  wide- 
ly acclaimed  by  the  people  of  Hoopeston,  who  had  in  the  meantime 
become  more  appreciative  of  their  military  organization. 

At  the  time  they  returned  from  border  service,  the  dark 
clouds  of  the  coming  conflict  with  Germany  were  hovering  over 
the  country.  Just  as  eagerly,  however,  they  responded  to  the 
summons  to  the  colors,  when  on  July  25,  1917,  a  little  over  a 
year  after  Company  B  was  summoned  for  border  service,  Presi- 
dent Wilson  again  ordered  mobilization  of  the  national  guard  of 
the  United  States  and  once  more  the  armory  became  a  scene  of 
activity,  as  preparations  were  made  for  the  long  journey  ahead, 
which  was  to  end  in  Company  B  facing  the  enemy  of  civiliza- 
tion on  the  western  front  in  France. 

Although  Company  B  was  ordered  mobilized  on  July  25,  1917, 
it  was  not  until  six  weeks  later  that  the  local  military  organiza- 
tion entrained  for  Camp  Logan,  Texas,  and  in  the  meantime,  as  a 
result  of  the  wave  of  patriotism  spreading  over  the  nation, 
scores  of  young  men  from  Hoopeston  and  surrounding  country 
flocked  to  the  colors,  joining  the  local  company  and  accompanying 
the  organization  to  Camp  Logan,  where  it  arrived  on  September 
13,  to  undergo  a  long  period  of  intensive  training,  to  fit  itself 
for  the  serious  work  of  crushing  the  hun. 

Shortly  after  arrival  at  the  training  camp,  members  of  the 
company  lost  their  beloved  commander,  Captain  John  H.  Steward, 
who  was  transferred  to  command  of  Company  D,  while  Captain 
Burgehein  took  over  the  command  of  the  Hoopeston  Company. 
Eight  months  were  spent  at  Camp  Logan,  where  the  troops  were 
trained  in  every  art  of  modern  warfare. 

On  May  2,  Company  B  broke  camp  and  word  quickly  spread 
that  the  troops  were  at  laot  going  overseas.  The  company  en- 
trained on  this  date  and  were  soon  enroute  to  the  Atlantic  sea- 
board. 

Following  the  arrival  of  Company  B  on  the  Atlantic  coast, 
the  boys  stopped  for  a  short  time  at  Cornwall,  New  York,  close 


33 


First  Lieutenant  Mitchell  S.  Cash 


34 

to  West  Point  military  academy.  Shortly  afterward  the  companv 
journeyed  down  the  Hudson  River  to  Long  Island  and  thence  to* 
Camp  Upton.  The  barracks  here  were  destined  to  be  their  last 
home  in  America  for  an  unknown  period,  for  shortly  afterward 
final  clothing  was  distributed  and  every  indication  pointed  to  an 
early  departure  overseas. 

It  was  on  the  night  of  May  10,  1918,  that  orders  came  to  go 
aboard  transport.  In  the  middle  of  the  night,  Company  B,  with 
other  units  of  the  thirty-third  division,  silently  went  aboard  trains 
and  ferries,  which  carried  them  to  the  docks  at  Hoboken.  At  the 
latter  place  the  Hoopeston  Company  boarded  the  Transport  Cov- 
ington, a  seized  German  merchant  ship,  formerly  named  the  Cin- 
cinnati. At  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  May  11,  the  Coving- 
ton weighed  anchor  and  started  on  its  perilous  voyage  over  the 
submarine  infested  seas,  enroute  to  France.  Strong  convoys  es- 
corted the  transports  loaded  with  their  precious  human  freight. 
The  journey  "over  there"  was  entirely  without  incident.  Company 
B  arrived  at  Brest,  France,  on  May  24,  1918. 

Upon  disembarkation  Company  B  proceeded  to  Pontantezon 
barracks,  one  time  headquarters  of  the  great  Napoleon  and  locat- 
ed three  kilometers  from  Brest.  The  soldiers  were  placed  under 
rigid  quarantine  and  remained  there  27  days. 

Following  their  long  stay  at  this  camp,  orders  came  to  move 
and  French  trains  carried  them  a  tiresome  journey  of  two  days 
and  three  nights  to  a  British  sector,  where  they  were  for  the  first 
time  within  hearing  of  the  big  guns,  located  not  far  from  Hamel, 
where  on  July  4,  an  Illinois  unit,  in  conjunction  with  the  Austral- 
lians,  experienced  its  first  baptism  of  fire,  thrilling  America 
with  their  daring  capture  of  Hamel  and  routing  the  enemy.  It 
was  during  this  battle  that  Company  B,  with  the  129th  Infantry 
remained  in  support,  ready  to  enter  the  battle  if  called  upon. 

Several  weeks  were  spent  in  this  sector  where  their  training 
was  continued  by  British  instructors  and  about  the  middle  of 
July  they  proceeded  to  the  Amiens  sector,  directly  behind  the 
Australians,  when  different  detachments  were  sent  into  the  front 
lines  and  given  their  first  taste  of  actual  warfare.  On  August 
first  Company  B  was  pronounced  fit  and  capable  of  meeting  the 
nun  on  equal  terms  and  on  that  day  the  company  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Albert  sector,  where  it  remained  until  the  latter 
part  of  the  month,  taking  its  turn  in  the  trenches  and  sending 
back  to  the  "heinies,"  as  good  as  they  sent.  It  was  here  that  they 
sustained  their  first  casualty,  Corporal  Harry  Sartwell  sustaining 
a  shrapnel  wound  in  the  neck  that  later  resulted  in  him  being  in- 
valided home.  Following  their  "bit"  on  the  Albert  front,  Com- 
pany B  journeyed  by  rail  to  the  Toul  sector,  remaining  there  for 
26  days.    Things  were  a  bit  more  exciting  on  this  front,  frequem; 


'35 


Lteut.  Lloyd  P.  Petrj 


36 

brushes  being  had  with  the  enemy,  sometimes  on  a  small  scale 
and  again  quite  better. 

It  was  on  September  26,  the  day  the  great  Meuse-Argonne 
battle  opened,  that  Company  B  engaged  in  its  greatest  combat 
with  the  enemy.  The  Hoopeston  boys  were  among  the  thousands 
that  started  to  mop  up  the  great  forest,  marking  some  of  the 


Sergeant  Earl  R.  Deck 
Company  B,  129th  U.  S.  Infantry 


lie  it  est  fighting  of  the  war.  Open  warfare  succeeded  trench 
fighting  of  the  war.  Open  warfare  succeeded  trench  fighting 
and  with  only  stumps  of  trees  to  protect  themselves,  and  resist 
the  enemy's  terrific  counter  attacks,  the  gallant  men  from  Hoop- 
eston with  their  comrades,  inch  by  inch  forced  the  enemy  back. 


UNIVERSITY  01  ILLINOIS 
AM 


v:  " 


•■•—r"r 


(umpan;   I!,  l.'dth  Infantry,  I.  N.  V., 


37 

Day  and  night  the  battle  raged,  the  enemy  using  a  storm  of  shells 
and  impregnating  the  thickly  wooded  country  with  clouds  of  poi- 
son gas. 

It  was  during  the  heighth  of  this  great  battle  they  sustain- 
ed their  first  major  casualties,  Sergeant  Fred  A.  Kennedy,  who 
gave  up  his  job  with  the  Lake  Erie  &  Western  railroad  at  Rankin 
and  whose  parents  live  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  made  the  supreme 
sacrifice.  Albert  Kallinski,  of  Hoopeston,  a  former  employe  of 
the  Vermilion  Malleable  Iron  Works,  was  also  killed,   together 

with  Lawrence,     a  drafted  soldier,     who  had  been 

assigned  to  Company  B..  Sergeant  Earl  R.  Deck  received  a 
shrapnel  wound  in  his  right  leg,  which  later  caused  the  amputa- 
tion of  the  limb. 

Company  B,  alone  with  other  companies  of  the  129th  Infan- 
try, was  subjected  during  this  battle  to  the  worst  gas  attack  that 
had  been  launched  by  the  Germans  during  the  whole  war,  result- 
ing in  almost  completely  putting  them  out  of  action.  Scores  of 
men  were  sent  to  the  hospital,  anions  them  being  Captain  Steward 
and  Lieutenant  Lloyd  P.  Petry.  The  few  men  who  did  not  suc- 
cumb to  the  gas  attack,  continued  to  hold  their  lines  until  re- 
lieved by  battallion  reserves,  Company  B  being  sent  back  to  rest 
camp,  the  first  they  had  experienced  almost  from  the  day  they 
landed  in  France. 

Remaining  in  reserve  until  October  8,  Company  B  was  rush- 
ed to  Boise  Du  Chaume,  where  the  129th  regiment  took  part  in 
drivine  the  nun  across  the  Meuse  river,  and  following  the  enemy 
over  this  bloody  stretch,  they  attacked  the  Kaiser's  strong  shock 
troops  and  started  them  on  the  run  for  Berlin. 

From  October  5,  until  the  night  of  October  21,  Company  B, 
along  with  the  rest  of  the  brigade  held  the  right  half  of  the 
thirty-third  division  sector,  east  of  the  Meuse,  with  the  sixty-sixth 
brigade  on  their  left,  or  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Meuse  river. 
They  were  finally  relieved  there  by  the  fifteenth  French  Colony 
division. 

After  their  relief  from  this  sector,  Company  B  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  St.  Mihiel  front,  where  the  thirty-third  division  re- 
lieved the  79th  division,  being  in  close  approximation  to  Metz, 
which  was  the  goal  of  the  American  forces  at  this  period  of  the 
war.  Things  became  lively  again  and  freouent  raids  and  patrol 
encounters  occurred,  in  which  the  boys  of  Company  B  participat- 
ed. They  were  also  subjected  to  heavy  and  continuous  enemy 
shell  fire. 

:  On  November  11,  the  sixty-fifth  brigade,  headed  by  the  129th 
infantry,  of  which  Company  B  was  the  second  company,  attacked 
and  captured  Chateau  Aullnois  Riaville,  Marcheville  and  several 
other  small  French  towns  quickly  fell.  At  this  moment  the  word 
was  flashed  around  the  wrorld  that  the  armistice  had  been  signed 
and  the  order  came  to  cease  hostilities.    The  wrar  came  to  an  end, 


38 

just  as  the  Illinois  boys  were  on  the  verge  of  smashing  the  Hin- 
denburg  line  at  this  point.  After  which  Metz  would  have  been 
their  destination. 

Upon  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  Company  B  was  billetted 
for  some  days  in  various  French  towns.  Later  the  thirty- third 
division  was  honored  by  being  selected  as  a  part  of  the  army  of 
occupation  in  support,  and  Company  B  with  other  units  marched 
across  beautiful  Alsace-Lorraine  to  Luxembourg,  covering  the 
123-mile  journey  in  ten  days. 

Their  winter  stay  in  Luxembourg  will  never  be  forgotten  by 
the  returning  soldier  boys,  for  the  hospitality   of  the  French 


COL.  G.  H.  GREENE  AND  STAFF.  Eighth  from  left  is 
Lieutenant  Frederick  K.  Boudinard,  formerly  a  private  in  Com- 
pany B,  who  was  transferred  to  headquarters  Company  April  18, 
1918,  at  Camp  Logan,  Texas. 


was  unbounded  and  the  restrictions  imposed  upon  them  were  not 
-o  severe  as  prevailed  with  that  part  of  the  American  army  that 
occupied  the  west  bank  of  the  Rhine,  in  Germany.  Upon  sailing 
for  home,  Company  B  embarked  at  Brest,  the  port  where  the 
boys  first  set  foot  in  France  and  arrived  in  Hoopeston  on  June  7, 
1919. 


39 


The  story  of  Company  B  covers  the  greater  portion  of  the 
boys  who  saw  active  service  in  France  and  in  the  army  during 
the  world  war,  although  there  were  many  others,  who  volunteer- 
ed, or  who  were  inducted  into  the  service  and  who  were  during 
the  entire  period  of  the  war,  in  other  organizations. 

The  record  of  these  men's  service  is  perhaps  best  covered 
in  the  following  "Honor  Roll"  which  carries  the  names  of  mem 
bers  of  Company  B,  as  well  as  those  who  served  in  other  organ- 
izations, as  follows: 

Harold  C.  Adsit,  Harvey 
Dyer  Adkins,  Monroe  Adkins. 
Arthur  L.  Ambler,  Phillip  And- 
erson, John  Herbert  Arnold,  Roy 
Artist,  Charles  Albert  Bailey, 
Roy  Barnes,  Clyde  Barnet,  Vir- 
gil Bass,  J.  W.  Y.  Beatty,  Homer 
H.  Beall,  William  Bear,  Bruce 
Bennett,  Jesse  Bennet,  Gifford 
Berg,  George  D.  Betka,  Walter 
Birge,  Leslie  B.  Bishop  Au- 
brey B.  Bloomfield,  Curtis  Love 
Boardman,  VINCENT  R. 
BOARDMAN,  Victor  Bolinski, 
John  Rosslyn  Boorde,  Frederick 
K.  Boudinard,  Sidney  H.  Bradd, 


Lieut.  Alba  Cromer 

Ford  Bradley,  Ralph  Bradley, 
Clarence  Polo  Bray,  Dale 
Brougher,  Charles  Milton  Bruff , 
jr.,  Thomas  Brown,  Fred  Buch- 
ler,  jr.,  George  L.  Burtis,  Harry 
D.  Burtis,  Coy  H.  Burton, 
Charles  F.  Bushnell,  Frank  A. 
Butts,  Charles  H.  Byrd,  Lester 
Campbell,  Mitchell  T.  Cash, 
Frank  Cassady,  Floyd  Monroe, 
Cheney,  Leon  R.  Chenoweth, 
Myrle   Milton   Clements,    Alvin 


F.  K.  Boudinard 


40 


Cobb.  John  E.  Colbert,  James  L. 
Cole,  Oscar  Cole,  William  Henry 
Cole.  Floyd  W.  Coleman,  John 
Jacob  Collins,  Mark  Collins,  Ray 
Collins.  Reed  G.  Cook,  Ralph 
Coon,  Elijah  A.  Cooper,  Harry 
Cooper,  David  Edward  Copas, 
Henry  F.  Cosgrove,  John  L.  Cos- 
erove,  Clarence  E.  Crane,  A..C. 
H.  Cromer,  A.  J.  Dallstream,  Guy 
Dalhtream,  L.  P.  Daniel,  Fred 
Davis,  Roy  Davidson,  Earl  R. 
Deck,  Letter  R.  Deck,  Albert 
Deck,  Todd  Decker,  Clifford 
Otto  Denton,  Wylie  E.  Dorsett, 
Irbie  Downey,  Morris  Downey, 
Loren  A,  Dukes,  Leonard  Esco 
Duncan,  Charles  Fumess  Dyer, 
Lucien  B.  Dyer,  Dr.  Fred  E. 
Earel,  Fred  W.  Ellerman,  Frank 
Ellis,  Virgil  Leroy  Engle,  John 
Wiley  Ernest,  Walter  R.  Ernest, 


Lieut.  A.  J.  Dallstream 


L.  H.  Deck 

Enos  Leo  Erwin,  Glenn  Faurote, 
Carter  Farrell,  Garrett  Hobart 
Finch,  McKinley  Finch,  Russell 
Carl  vie  Finlev,  Frank  E.  Fish, 
Orvia  W.  Fish,  Earl  J.  Fisher. 
Lawrence  Fitzgerald,  Charles  S. 
Flexman,  Claude  Forshier,  Mor- 
ris R.  Foster,  Monta  French, 
Frank  J.  Fundle,  Joshua  W.  Gal- 
loway, Roy  Gannon,  Henry  M. 
Garrett,  Christ  V.  George, 
Charles  D.  Gilman.  Hugh  Doug- 
las Oilman,  Charles  Gordon 
Glover,  Roy  E.  Goin,  Floyd  Goin, 
-  Dewey  Gossett,  Fred  Grant 
Green,  Glenn  B.  Green,  William 
Stanley  Green,  Alec  M.  Griffin, 
John  James  Griffin,  Garrett  H. 
Griggs,  Ward  E.  Guest,  Russeii 
Hall,  Basil  Halsell,  William  Ham- 
ilton, George  Edwin  Harbert, 
Benjamin  Albert  Harding,  Clar- 
ence Eugene  Harding,  Nathaniel 
S.   G.  Harding,  Earl   Harkness, 


41 


Capt.  C,  F.  Dyer 

KREAGER,  Orla  Kreager, 
Janies  Ernest  Krell,  Harvey  La- 
Bounty,  Lawrence  L.  Lane,  Ray- 
mond Leeper,  TADE  LAYDEN, 
JR.,  Edward  R.  Larrabee,  Mar- 
tin Lawson,  Joe  Levinski,  Wil- 
liam Levinski,  Harold  Lewis, 
Orpheus  Lewis,  Knoesel  Lock- 
hart,  David  W.  Long,  George  A. 
Long,  Earl  Longfellow,  Elmer  C. 
Longfellow,  Robert  V.  Long- 
fellow, Robert  J.  Love,  Amp 
Lovelace,  William  H.  Lucas, 
Claire  Evans  Lyon,  Ralph  M. 
Lyons,  Harold  Madden,  Carl  E. 
Madden,  Leo  Marquis,  Frank 
Martin,  George  Martin,  Will  F. 
Martin,  Dr.  Robert  S.  Mc- 
Caughey,  Thurman  McLain, 
Clellon  L.  McDonald,  Donald  J. 
McFerren,    William    McFerren, 


John  E.  Harkrider,  John  P.  Haw- 
kins, LEWIS  T.  HAWKINS,  Wil- 
liam D.  Hawkins,  Kale  Hazany, 
Dr.  John  B.  Hazel,  jr.,  Blaine  N. 
Heaton,  Benjamin  H.  Hicks, 
Charles  D.  Hinkle,  Charles  L. 
Hobsan,  Clyde  C.  Halloway,  John 
H.  Hoover,  Lemmie  H.  Hoover, 
Fremont  Hoskins,  Ralph  Hough- 
ton, John  J.  Huling,  jr.,  Ernest 
Hutson,  Frank  R.  James,  Wil- 
liam A.  James,  William  H.  Jerna- 
gan,  Franklin  R.  Johnson,  Glenn 
0.  Johnson,  Harry  Parker  Jones, 
Earl  Justice,  Leo  B.  Karn,  Har- 
old C.  Keister,  Leroy  Merle  Keis- 
ter,  Orville  E.  Keplinger,  Joseph 

B.  Kerr,  George  D.  Kimberlin, 
I^aac  Kinneer,  Harry  A.  Kivell, 

C.  Berne  Knell,  B.  Boyd  Knell, 
William  Leonard  Kolb,  ALBERT 
KALINSKI,         IRA         OWEN 


Capt.  L.  B.  Dyer 


42 


Bertrand  F.  McKinney,  Earl  R. 
Means,  Edward  D.  Means,  John 
W.  Meloy,  Bernard  J.  Mertens, 
Charles  Daniel  Miller,  Clarence 
S.  Miller,  Franklin  Miller,  Rev. 
J.  W.  Miller,  Sam  Miller,  Herman 
Mitchell,  Leslie  Moore,  Frank  B. 
Morgan,  Charles  G.  Morrison, 
John  W.  Murphy,  Lewis  A.  Mur- 
ray, Louie  Murray,  William  A. 


Lieut.  Harry  R,  Kivell 


Musk,  Ralph  W.  Musson,  Reed 
F.  Musson,  Hilbert  Neathery, 
Jeane  E.  Newburn,  Harold  J. 
Newburn,  Charles  Nicholas,  Wal- 
ter R.  Noble,  Earl  W.  Nussear, 
Harold  M,  Olehy,  Eddie  L. 
Oliver,  Ozro  Oliver,  Omar  Parks, 
Samuel  F.  Pedigo,  Edwin  Pen- 
ney, Athanasios  C.  Pergakes, 
Dennis  M.  Perkins,  M.  0.  Peter- 
son,    Raymond      S.      Peterson, 


Lieut.  Joseph  B,  Kerr 


Louis  J.  Willett 


43 


George  S.  Petry,  Lloyd  P.  Petry, 
Ezra  T.  Piercy,  Floyd  Merle 
Powley,  Victor  Ree  Preston,  El- 
mer M.  Probasco,  George  H. 
Probasco,  George  H.  Raasch, 
Herschel  Ray  Ransom,  Robert  R. 
Remster,  Ivan  L.  ReVeal,  Cassie 
Rice,  Forrest  Riggs,  Leonard  D. 
Roark,  James  H.  Robertson, 
Walter  C.  Robertson,  Lee  C.  Ro- 
binson, Clarence  A.  Roe,  Joseph 
J.  Rote,  Elmer  E.  Rush,  Eugene 
Ru;k,  Wayne  Rusk,  Floyd  W. 
Russell,  Peter  Ryomolski,  Ber- 
nard Samuels,  Clarence  Sapping- 
ton,  Floyd  Sargent,  George  Sar- 
gent, Harry  Sartwell,  Elwood 
Scarlet,  Martone  E.  Scarlet,  Wil- 
liam S.  Schade,  Leon  E.  Sharon, 
William  S.  Sharon,  Forest  Shinn. 
Michael  Said,  William  Franklin 
Sills,  Aubrey  Reed  Silver,  Leon 


Lieut.  Claude  Forshier 

(Blakely)  Silver,  Ira  Simmons, 
Park  T.  Timmons,  Edward 
Smith,  Elmer  Smith,  John  N. 
Smith,  Paul  Smith,  Thomas  P. 
Smith,  Glenn  J.  Smythe,  Frank 
P.  Snider,  Gilbert  M.  Southwick, 
Amos  Spears,  Thomas  Spears, 
Russell  Spickard,  Vernon  A. 
Spickard,  John  H.  Steward,  Ray 
Stewart,  RALPH  W.  STINE, 
Charles  S.  Stokes,  Knight  G. 
Stone,  Harry  T.  Sunderland, 
Grant  Swafford,  Paul  C.  Swan- 
son,  Fred  D.  Swisher,  Tony 
Tarasewich,  Charles  Earl  Tay- 
lor, Clarence  Taylor,  Herbert 
Cecil  Taylor,  Dwight  H.  Thomas, 
Clyde  Thompson,  Charles 
Thompson,  Luttrell  Thompson, 
Earl  C.  Thornton,  Harry  M. 
Thornton,  Ted  Thornton,  James 


Lieut.   Clarence   S.   Miller 


44 


Frederick  Tilton,  Ralph  G.  Til- 
ton,  Lester  W.  Townsend,  Clyde 
Troxel,  Walter  Trumble,  Frank 
A.  Tayler,  Everett  Van  Dorn, 
Ray  Van  Dorn  Emery  Vaughn, 
Charles  Wagner,  Fred  R.  Wake- 
land,  Guy  E.  Wakeland,  Balsley 
Walker,  Arthur  Leslie  Walker, 
Ernest  P.  Walker,  Bert  E.  Wal- 
lace, Lawrence  Wyer,  Richard 
M.  York,  George  Kenneth  York, 
William  F.  Wallace,  Arthur  W. 
Waugh,  Roy  Waugh,  Dr.  A.  C. 
Weaver,  Daniel  Weaver,  Mac  C. 
Weaver,  Ralph  Steven  Webber, 
Walter  Henry  Webber,  Floyd 
Westfall,  Charles  M.  Whaite, 
Clifford  Harold  Whittaker, 
Robert  C.  Whittaker,  William 
Henry  Whittington,  Lewis  Glenn 
Willis,  Doan  Silver  Williams, 
Leland  T.  Williams,  Lewis.  C 
Williams,  Welby  Williams,  John 
Wilson,  Read  Wintersteen,  Vic- 
tor Wilson,  Glenn  W.  Woods, 
George  Wintermantel,  Martin 
Wintermantel,  Glenn  Wood,  Wil- 
liam Henry  Woodward,  James  A. 
Woodhouse,  Louis  J.  Willett  and 
Maxwell  Zook. 

(In  the  above  honor  roll,  those  names  set  in  capital  letters  are 
those  who  made  the  suprerqe  sacrifice  for  their  country,  being 
killed  in  France  or  dying  while  in  the  service  of  their  country.) 

The  following  nurses  volunteered  for  service  in  the  great  war. 
the  first  two  named  serving  with  the  Red  Cross  in  France : 

Miss  Kate  Wintermantel,  Miss  Nellie  Ross,  Miss  Frances 
Bradley. 


E.  C.  Thornton 


45 
HOME  ACTIVITIES 


Services  Performed  by  Selective  Service  and  Exemption  Board 


Dr.  L.  B.  Russell,  Frank  Creighton  and  John  B.  Wallbridge 
were  appointed  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  as  members 
of  the  Local  Board  for  Division  No.  1,  County  of  Vermilion,  State 
of  Illinois,  with  headquarters  in  Hoopeston,  Illinois,  and  this  board 
organized  June  30,  1917,  by  electing  Frank  Creighton,  chairman, 
John  B.  Wallbridge,  secretary,  and  Dr.  L.  B.  Russell  as  physician 
of  the  board. 

Division  No.  1  consisted  of  ten  townships,  viz :  Grant,  Butler, 
Middlefork,  Ross,  Pilot,  Blount,  Newell,  Oakwood,  Vance  and 
Jamaica.  Owing  to  the  size  of  the  district  the  residence  of  some 
of  the  registrants  was  about  fifty  miles  from  the  board  office. 
The  total  number  of  registrants  was  5,476.  Out  of  this  number 
the  board  classified  about  5,000  and  inducted  into  service  633 
men,  and  in  addition  to  this  there  were,  175  voluntary  enlist- 
ments. The  board  physically  examined  1,261  men.  Out  of  this 
number  that  was  sent  to  camp,  44  were  rejected  on  second  exam- 
ination.   The  hours  of  the  members  of  the  board  were  all  hours 


First  Lieutenant  Ralph  W. 
Stine,  who  gave  up  his  life  early 
in  the  great  Verdun  Battle  was 
the  only  member  of  Company  B 
to  be  honored  with  the  dis- 
tinguished service  cross,  the 
highest  honor  bestowed  by  the 
United  States  Government  for 
bravery  in  action.  This  insignia 
granted  posthumously  is  now 
the  proud  possession  of  his  par- 
ents who  live  in  Paxton,  Illinois. 
He  met  death  while  engaged  in 
wiping  out  machine  gun  nests 
on  September  26,  1918,  in  the 
Verdun  sector.  He  was  former- 
ly a  principal  of  the  Hoopeston 
High  school  and  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany B  won  his  commission  at 
training  school  and  just  prior  to 
the  departure  of  Company  B  for 
overseas  service  was  transferred 
to  Company  L,  132nd  U.  S.  In- 
fantry. 


46 

of  the  day  and  night,  for  much  of  the  time  from  the  date  they 
entered  the  service  until  the  armistice  was  signed,  in  fact  for 
some  time  thereafter,  they  put  in  about  14  hours  a  day  on  the 
average.  While  there  were  no  duties  to  perform  after  the  armis- 
tice nevertheless  they  were  not  demobilized  for  many  months. 

The  board  was  greatly  assisted  by  the  volunteer  help  of  many 
patriotic  men  and  women  of  Hoopeston.  By  their  aid  the  board 
members  were  enabled  to  do  the  work  required  of  them  promptly. 

The  members  of  the  board  were  told  immediately  after  enter- 
ing the  service  that  they  could  not  resign.  Death  was  the  only  ex- 
cuse for  not  serving  and  but  for  good  cause  shown  the  government 
might  send  them  to  Fort  Leavenworth  penitentiary. 

This  board  during  its  administration  played  no  favorites.  The 
registrant's  religious  faith  or  political  affiliation,  or  whether  they 
were  rich  or  poor,  standing  in  society  made  no  difference  with  the 
board.  The  board  found  some  registrants  were  extremely  anxious 
to  go  to  war  while  others  were  just  the  reverse  and  did  every- 
thing in  their  power  to  secure  exemption.  However,  almost  every 
registrant  when  finally  called  to  the  colors  came  cheerfully  and 
vent  forward  with  all  determination  to  do  his  full  duty. 


RED  CROSS  ACTIVITIES 


In  February,  1917,  the  Hoopeston  chapter  of  the  American 
Red  Cross  was  organized.  After  the  membership  dues  had  been 
paid  the  next  call  for  rqoney  was  for  $3,200.  This  was  responded 
to  liberally  and  $4,200  was  raised.  From  that  time  on  there  were 
many  calls  and  much  money  expended  but  every  demand  was 
met  with  an  oversubscription.  The  membership  at  the  end  of  the 
war  numbered  around  2,000.  The  second  floor  of  the  Commercial 
Club  building  was  used  as  a  workroom  together  with  the  base- 
ment of  the  library  building  and  here  they  made  and  shipped 
319  sweaters,  206  helmets,  1,322  sox,  16  scarfs,  252  wristlets,  654 
refugee  garments,  1,313  hospital  garments,  40  vests,  159  kits,  50 
waterproof  bags  and  many  other  useful  articles.  Besides  this 
there  were  collected  and  shipped,  4,000  pounds  of  used  clothing 
to  the  unfortunates  in  the  war  zone  of  Europe.  The  1917  drive 
for  Red  Cross  membership  netted  a  total  of  1,287  members  and 
the  1918  drive  gathered  in  1,325  members.  The  membership  fee 
was  $1  and  some  paid  $2. 

During  the  influenza  epidemic  many  cases  were  attended 
individually  by  the  Red  Cross  until  the  officials  say  a  temporary 
hospital  must  be  established  which  was  opened  on  the  second 
floor  of  the  Commercial  Club  building.  Many  cases  were  cared 
for  at  this  place  and  many  persons  owe  their  lives  to  this  institu- 
tion. A  number  of  women  and  some  men  were  devoted  to  the 
work,  giving  their  entire  time  free  to  help  their  unfortunate 


47 

brothers  and  sisters.  The  expenses  were  borne  entirely  by  the 
Red  Cross. 

During  the  harvest  time  of  1918  when  the  farmers  were 
unable  to  get  help  to  take  care  of  their  grain,  between  75  and  100 
men  went  voluntarily  to  the  fields  each  evening  for  over  a  week 
and  shocked  oats  for  two  hours  or  more.  The  farmers  generally 
made  a  liberal  donation  to  the  Red  Cross  for  this  work. 

In  the  fall  of  1918  a  Grant  Township  Red  Cross  day  was  held, 
netting  $4,196.35,  in  which  all  citizens  took  part.  The  country 
people  brought  in  many  articles  of  produce  together  with  some 
livestock  which  with  the  donations  of  the  townspeople  were 
auctioned  off  for  the  benefit  of  the  organization. 

In  summing  up  the  activities  of  the  Grant  Township  Red 
Cross  we  must  say  it  has  done  exceptionally  good  work,  always 
going  "over  the  top"  in  everything. 


COMMUNITY  WAR  CHEST 


It  only  required  two  drives,  one  for  the  Red  Cross  and  one 
for  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  to  demonstrate  that  Grant  Township  should 
devise  some  better  method  for  raising  the  amount  of  money  that 
would  be  required  to  meet  the  many  demands  that  the  authorized 
war  activities  would  call  for.  With  this  in  mind  there  was  a  com- 
mittee appointed  to  carefully  go  over  the  resources  of  Grant 
Township  and  also  make  a  careful  estimate  of  about  what  demand 
would  be  made  on  the  township  for  a  year.  After  this  had  been 
done  and  the  committee  was  satisfied  with  their  work  they  start- 
ed a  campaign  of  instruction.  This  was  early  in  March,  1917. 
The  drive  was  then  put  on  for  the  necessary  amount  of  funds  ask- 
ing the  contributors  to  make  their  pledges  for  from  March  1,  1917 
until  March  1,  1918. 

This  was  successful  as  the  people  responded  nobly  with  few 
exceptions.  Everybody  wanted  to  do  their  part  to  help  bring 
the  world  war  to  a  close.  The  amount  of  subscriptions  secured 
and  collected  through  this  organization  was  $24,199.56,  plus  $4,- 
096.35,  receipts  from  carnival  day,  making  a  total  of  $28,295.91. 
This  enabled  Grant  Township  to  meet  every  demand  of  authoriz- 
ed war  needs  that  was  made  and  with  100  per  cent  the  war  com- 
ing to  a  close  made  it  possible  for  the  discontinuance  of  the  collec- 
tion of  these  funds  after  January  1,  1919.  Therefore  the  pledges 
that  were  made  for  one  year  were  only  asked  to  pay  ten  months. 
Those  who  had  paid  for  the  full  year  in  advance  were  refunded 
two  months. 

The  officers  of  the  Grant  Township  War  Workers  Associa- 
tion were:  E.  J.  Boorde,  chairman;  I.  E.  Merritt,  Vice  Chairman; 
George  E.  Evans,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  board  of  direc- 
tors consisted  of  J.  S.  Catherwood,  chairman;  W.  C.  Welty,  Rev. 


48 

Fr.  Gahlman,  Ellsworth  Iliff  and  Rev.  A.  S.  Chapman.  It  was 
the  duty  of  the  board  of  directors  to  audit  treasurer's  accounts, 
pass  on  all  bills,  and  investigate  before  paying  any  of  the  demands 
made  upon  the  association;  in  fact  the  funds  of  the  association 
were  entirely  in  the  custody  of  the  board  of  directors. 


THE  LIBERTY  LOAN  DRIVES 


The  late  Ernest  X.  LeSeure,  of  Danville,  had  been  named 
county  chairman  of  the  Liberty  Loan  Drive  Committee,  and  I. 
E.  Merritt,  of  Hoopeston,  head  of  the  Hoopeston  National  Bank 
was  his  second  in  command — vice  president — of  the  county  organ- 
ization. 

To  Elijah  J.  Boorde,  manager  of  the  Hoopeston  Telephone 
Company  was  allotted  the  task  of  organizing  Grant  Township  for 
the  first  liberty  loan  drive  and  so  well  was  the  work  of  Mr.  Mer- 
ritt and  Mr.  Boorde  done  that  long  before  the  time  limit  set  for 
Hoopeston's  quota  to  be  raised  the  county  chairman  was  inform- 
ed that  Hoopeston  was  "over  the  top." 

The  quota  of  Grant  Township  in  the  first  liberty  loan  was 
$170,000  and  it  was  heavily  oversubscribed. 

The  second,  third,  fourth  and  victory  loans  were  duplicates 
of  the  first  loan  and  it  was  never  necessary  that  intensive  work  be 
done  other  than  the  organization  tasks  effected  beforehand.  Each 
time  the  call  went  out  for  more  money  to  prosecute  the  war, 
Hoopeston  went  down  into  her  pockets. 

The  quota  of  the  second  Liberty  Loan  was  $297,000.  The 
sum  of  $312,000  was  subscribed.  This  was  an  oversubscription 
of  $15,000. 

The  quota  of  the  third  liberty  loan  was  $258,000.  The 
amount  subscribed  was  $325,000,  an  oversubscription  of  $67,000. 

The  quota  for  the  fourth  liberty  loan  was  $339,448  and  the 
sum  of  $267,000  was  subscribed,  an  oversubscription  of  $26,552. 

The  fifth  liberty  loan  quota  was  $253,800.  It  was  reached  in 
less  than  a  week  and  $312,000  was  raised,  an  oversubscription  of 
$58,200. 

The  liberty  loans  were  handled  through  Hoopeston's  two  banks, 
the  Hoopeston  National  and  the  First  National  bank.  From  the 
first  to  the  fifth — or  Victory  loan,  which  was  raised  after  the 
armistice  had  been  signed.  All  were  oversubscribed. 


There  were  countless  other  sacrifices  made  cheerfully  at  the 
time  and  without  a  thought  of  what  they  were  costing,  that  have 
been  lost  to  history.  There  was  no  attempt  made  to  record  them 
— they  were  commonplace — the  things  that  had  to  be  done  and 
Hoopeston  did  them. 


49 

Hoopeston's  record  in  the  world  war  will  bear  the  scrutiny 
'of  the  most  exacting  and  is  deserving  of  a  place  alongside  that 
of  cities  of  the  land  who  stand  at  the  top  of  the  ladder  of  patriot- 
ism. Each  rung  of  that  ladder  was  made  of  sacrifice,  of  some- 
thing denied  at  home  that  those  at  the  front  might  have  their 
burden  lightened. 

The  months  between  the  armistice  and  present  day  have  cast 
the  shadow  of  Time's  effacing  hand  over  the  days  of  sorrow  and 
heartbreak,  when  each  night  brought  its  new  casualty  list  and 
the  careful  searching  for  names  of  near  and  dear  ones,  but  none 
in  Hoopeston  have  forgotten  those  days  and  their  deeds,  and  none 
have  forgotten  the  names  of  tho&e  who  .at  home  were  the  leaders 
iin  war  work. 


Lodges  and  Organizations 


Ira  Owen  Kreager  Post,  American  Legionl — Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic — Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution — Star 
Lodge  No.  709,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.— Hoopeston  Chapter  181,  R.  A. 
M. — Modern  Woodmen  of  America — M.  H.  C.  Club — Knights 
of  Columbus— I.  O.  O.  F.— L.  O.  0.  M. 


Hoopeston  has  many  lodges  and  organizations  that  are  in  a 
prosperous  and  growing  condition.  As  the  town  grew  from  the 
bare  prairie  to  the  present  day  city  of  6,000,  these  organizations 
were  organized  and  brought  into  existence  by  their  sponsors,  who 
felt  the  need  of  a  particular  form  of  social  or  fraternal  activity 
at  the  moment.  They  have  filled  a  place  in  the  life  of  the  city 
that  could  not  be  taken  by  any  other  form  of  endeavor  and  among 
their  various  charters  are  to  be  found  the  names  of  practically 
all  of  those  pioneers,  who  aided  in  the  founding  of  Hoopeston, 
or  who  in  later  years  assisted  in  its  development,  by  giving  un- 
tiringly of  their  time  and  money. 

Of  the  fraternal  organizations  the  Masonic  lodges  are  the 
oldest  in  Hoopeston  and  of  the  patriotic  organizations,  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  with  only  twelve  surviving  members.  Ira 
Owen  Kreager  Post,  of  the  American  Legion,  is  the  youngest  of 
the  patriotic  organizations  and  as  the  present  generation  lead- 
ers are  made  up  of  those  men  who  gave  of  their  lives  to  the  mili- 
tary forces  of  the  United  States,  so  the  following  resume  of  the 
lodges  and  organizations  is  started  with  the  history  of  this 
youngest  organization,  already  felt  as  one  of  the  biggest  forces 
in  Hoopeston' s  community  life. 

OttiyERSJTY 

Lie--  i 


52 


IN  MEMORIAM 


IRA  OWEN  KREAGER 


Ira  Owen  Kreager  was  born  in  Gratiot,  Ohio, 
March  25,  1893,  coming  to  Hoopeston  with  his 
parents  in  1906.  He  entered  the  military  service 
on  April  27,  1918,  being  sent  by  the  local  selective 
service  board  to  Camp  Grant,  Illinois.  After  a 
short  period  there  he  went  to  Camp  Travis,  Texas, 
where  he  was  assigned  to  Company  B.  358th  U. 
S.  Infantry,  19th  division,  comprising  Texas  and 
Oklahoma  National  Army  men.  He  accompanied 
his  division  overseas  and  was  killed  by  a  fragment 
of  high  explosive  shell  in  the  Argonne  Forest 
battle,  on  October  27,  1918. 


53 
IRA  OWEN  KREAGER  POST,  NO.  384,  AMERICAN  LEGION 


Foreword 


When  the  United  States  declared  war  upon  Germany  and  her 
allies,  she  called  to  her  colors  the  pick  of  the  land,  the  youth  of 
a  youthful  country.  Never  before  had  the  full  force  of  the  land 
been  called  upon  to  be  thrown  against  an  enemy 
nation  and  it  was  with  frankly  approving  eyes 
that  she  called  upon  those  that  represented  the 
strength  of  the  nation — her  youth. 

Ill-versed  in  methods  of  modern  warfare,  un- 
prepared as  to  equipment,  with  no  general,  or  com- 
mander, who  had  ever  maneuvered  more  than 
30,000  men,  they  went  in  an  never-ending  stream 
to  the  battlefields  of  Europe.  With  their  going 
the  result  of  the  war  was  settled  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  every 
American,  whether  soldiers  or  civilians.  No  such  word  as  "Fail- 
ure" had  ever  been  written  in  the  history  of  American  warfare. 
The  inevitable  happened,  and  the  American  army  rested  on  its 
arms,  conscious  of  a  victory  well  earned.  The  confidence  of  this 
great  republic  had  not  been  misplaced,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  the 
rich  man  and  the  poor  man  had  fought,  class  was  forgotten  and 
a  comradeship  was  created  that  was  to  endure  to  the  end  of  time. 
How  fitting  it  was,  that  shortly  after  the  close  of  the  war,  a  great 
society  was  formed  by  these  "buddies" — without  regard  to  rank 
or  position.  They  had  met  on  common  ground — the  battlefield — 
and  each  had  seen  below  the  surface  of  the  other,  the  real  man. 
It  was  to  these  real  men  that  the  American  Legion  was  dedicated. 
Such  was  the  foundation  upon  which  that  vast  structure,  the 
American  Legion,  was  built. 


Shortly  after  the  return  of  the  soldiers  from  the  great  war, 
in  fact  before  all  had  returned,  the  Ira  Owen  Kreager  Post  of  the 
American  Legion  was  organized.  The  post  Was  named  in  memory 
of  Ira  Owen  Kreager,  who  was  the  first  Hoopeston  soldier  to  be 
killed  in  action  on  the  battlefields  of  Europe.  Enough  members  to 
secure  a  charter  were  pledged  and  with  Charles  F.  Dyer  as  the 
first  commander,  the  post  began  its  career. 

Charter  members  of  the  post  were  as  follows: 

John  R.  Boorde,  Peter  Cerokas,  Carl  A.  Dodson,  Irbey  Downey, 

Fred  E.  Earel,  Russell  C.  Finley,   Morris   R.   Foster,   Christ  V. 

George,  Fred  G.  Green,  William  Stanley  Green,  Earl  W.  Harkness, 

Charles  D.  Hinkle,  Glenn  0.  Johnson,  Bert  A.  Knoll,  Orla  Kreager, 


54 

Frank  S.  Martin,  D.  J.  McFerren,  William  McFerren,  Clarence  S. 
Miller,  Sylvester  J.  Murray,  Lloyd  P.  Petry,  Charles  Phillips, 
Thomas  Regalley,  Ivan  L.  Re  Veal,  Frank  B.  Morgan,  Thomas  P. 
Smith,  Fred  B.  Swisher,  Everett  VanDorn,  Louis  G.  Willett, 
Dewey  Gossett  and  Charles  F.  Dyer. 

With  the  return  of  Company  B,  bringing  with  it  the  great- 
er number  of  the  local  soldiers,  the  scope  of  the  post  began  to  en- 
large. At  the  first  annual  meeting  Captain  "Jack"  Steward  was 
e]ected  commander  to  guide  the  destinies  of  the  organization 
through  the  year  1920.  It  was  a  year  filled  with  eventful  things 
in  the  life  of  the  local  post.  Club  rooms  were  secured  and  appro- 
priately furnished  and  the  post  established  itself  as  a  going 
concern.  A  benefit  carnival  that  was  entered  into  with  spirit  and 
zest  by  both  Legion  members  and  citizens,  netted  the  post  con- 
siderable over  a  thousand  dollars.  Dr.  Fred  Earel,  as  chairman  of 
the  carnival  committee,  made  it  such  a  success  that  his  name 
was  brought  forward  without  opposition  for  commander  of  the 
post  during  the  following  year. 

With  fitting  ceremony,  Commander  Earel  was  ushered  into 
office,  Past  Commander  Steward  turning  over  to  him  an  organiza- 
tion, small,  but  working  harmoniously  toward  a  greater  future. 

Commander  Earel's  first  official  act  was  to  appoint  a  mem- 
bership committee  with  instructions  to  solicit  every  eligible  man. 
As  a  result  of  the  ensuing  campaign  183  members  were  enrolled 
and  the  post  became  a  recognized  force  in  the  community.  An  ac- 
tive committee  promoted  dances  throughout  the  year  and  a  Legion 
basketball  team  was  put  into  the  field.  This  year,  feeling  the  re- 
sponsibility too  great  for  their  declining  years,  the  G.  A.  R. 
Post,  asked  that  the  Legion  formally  take  charge  of  the  Memorial 
Day  services. 

Probably  no  greater  honor  shall  ever  be  given  to  the  local 
post  of  the  American  Legion,  than  was  bestowed  upon  them  by 
this  act  of  the  G.  A.  R.  The  implicit  faith  that  was  shown  when 
these  gray  haired  veterans  of  a  former  war  turned  over  the  mem- 
ory of  their  illustrous  dead  to  the  American  Legion  was  the  great- 
est honor  one  American  soldier  could  show  another.  And  the 
Legion  pledged  itself  to  keep  this  day  of  memory,  sacred.  Fit- 
ting services  are  performed  that  day  each  year  by  the  Legion, 
with  the  G.  A.  R.  occupying  a  position  of  honor.  As  is  fitting, 
the  flag  of  the  G.  A.  R.  flies  side  by  side  with  that  of  the  Legion, 
with  a  common  color  guard. 

On  Labor  Day  a  monster  celebration  under  the  guidance 
of  C.  F.  Dyer  was  planned  and  carried  through  successfully.  With 
the  profit  from  this  undertaking,  it  was  thought  an  auspicious 
time  for  the  considering  of  a  club  house.  The  matter  was  brought 
up  but  finally  dropped  until  a  more  suitable  time.  Shortly  after 
the  annual  election  wras  held  and  Floyd  Sargent  wras  elected  and 
assumed   command   of  the  post. 


55 

Installation  of  Commander  Sargent  and  his  staff  of  officers 
was  one  of  the  best  occasions  of  its  kind  since  the  organization 
of  the  post,  a  large  percentage  of  the  membership  being  present 
when  Past  Commander  Earel  expressed  the  hope  and  opinion 
that  the  succeeding  administration  would  build  a  legion,  greater 
than  any  previous  administration,  and  urged  the  members  to 
give  the  incoming  officers  the  co-operation  that  would  make  it 
possible.  Amid  a  riot  of  welcoming,  Floyd  Sargent  assumed  the 
command  of  the  post. 

In  his  inaugural  address,  Commander  Sargent  gave  an  out- 
line of  what  his  ambitions  concerning  the  legion  were,  and  what 
he  hoped  to  have  accomplished  before  his  term  expired.  Among 
these  were  the  following: 

Formation  of  a  Ladies'  Auxiliary. 
Increased  membership. 

Meetings  with  a  fair  percent  of  the  membership  present. 
Plans  laid,  at  least,  for  a  permanent  home. 
During  the  forepart  of  the  administration,  the  body  of  Ira 
Owen  Kreager  was  returned  from  France  for  burial  in  this  coun- 
try. Commander  Sargent,  accompanied  by  Orla  Kreager,  brother 
of  the  deceased,  went  to  the  place  of  burial  in  Indiana,  there  repre- 
senting the  local  post.  The  body  was  lowered  into  its  last  resting- 
place  with  appropriate  ceremonies,  the  Indiana  post  of  the  Legion 
co-operating  with  Commander  Sargent  to  make  it  possible. 

Early  in  the  summer,  the  funds  of  the 
post  began  to  run  low  and  it  was  decided 
to  hold  an  indoor  carnival.  A  committee 
was  appointed  with  George  Raasch  as 
chairman  to  carry  out  this  and  the  result 
more  than  justified  the  hope  of  the  pro- 
moters. The  next  event  of  importance 
was  the  annual  Labor  Day  celebration  held 
in  McFerren  park.  This  affair,  under  the 
management  of  Vice-Commander  Johnson 
was  a  big  success  and  turned  in  a  goodly 
sum  to  the  finance  officer  of  the  post.  For 
the  balance  of  the  year  the  post  was  under 
the  active  leadership  of  Vice-Commander 
Franklin  Johnson  Johnson,  Commander  Sargent  having  left 
the  city.  At  the  annual  election  of  officers, 
the  resignation  of  the  commander  was  read  and  the  executive 
committee  voted  to  place  the  vice-commander  in  his  place.  Charles 
L.  Beeman  was  selected  to  fill  the  position  of  vice-commander, 
left  vacant  by  the  appointment, 

Election  night  saw  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  meetings  of 
the  year.  Interest  was  heightened  by  the  number  of  candidates 
for  the  various  offices  and  the  closeness  of  the  contests  in  nearly 
every   case.      Commander   Johnson    was    re-elected    with    Henry 


56 

Cos  grove  as  vice-commander  and  Charles  L.  Beeman  as  Adjutant. 
Gary  L.  Finch  was  elected  finance  officer  and  Thomias  P.  Smith 
re-elected  sergeant-at-arms. 

Reviewing  the  past  year  it  will  be  noted  that  an  auxiliary 
was  formed  in  accordance  with  Commander  Sargent's  wish  (1923.) 

C.  A.  Bailey  was  elected  commander  of  the  post  in  1924 
and  his  administration  was  one  of  the  most  successful  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  post.  It  was  during  this  administration  that  it  was 
determined  to  hold  the  Fourth  of  July  celebration  in  Hoopeston 
as  an  annual  Legion  affair,  because  of  the  success  of  the  event 
in  1923.  The  1924  celebration  was  one  of  the  greatest  events  ever 
staged  by  an  organization  in  Hoopeston. 

When  time  for  the  annual  election  of  officers  came  around 
again  in  November,  1924,  the  name  of  Leonard  Roark  was  placed 
in  nomination  and  he  was  elected  to  succeed  Commander  Bailey. 
Commander  Roark  took  office  at  the  opening  of  1925  and  this 
brings  the  story  of  the  Legion  organization  up  to  the  present  day. 


HARMON  POST  NO.  115,  G.A.R. 


Harmon  Post  No.  115,  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
was  organized  on  November  11,  1881  and  there  were  243  members 
on  the  roster  at  one  time.  Veterans  who  had 
fought  in  the  Blue  and  the  Gray  from  17 
states  were  included  in  the  membership  list. 
Six  foreign  nations,  Germany,  Ireland,  Switz- 
erland, Sweden,  France  and  Canada,  all  had 
sons  who  were  numbered  in  the  membership 
of  the  post.  There  were  65  members  who 
came  from  the  state  of  Indiana,  41  from 
Ohio,  11  from  Pennsylvania  and  19  from 
New  York. 

In  February  1925,  there  were  only 
twelve  members  remaining  on  the  roster  as 
follows : 

Myron  Sibbitt,  Honeywell  Avenue ;  Alex- 
ander Taylor,  Seminary  Avenue ;  Sam  Blake- 
ly,  McCracken  Avenue;  John  Towner,  South 
Market  street;  Arthur  Davis,  North  Mar- 
ket street;  Abe  Kimberlin,  East  Lincoln 
street;  William  Rice,  East  Washington 
street;  Peter  Reitz,  South  Fourth  street; 
Charles  Miller;  W.  A.  Briggs,  Wyman  Avenue;  W.  L.  Townsley, 
Young  Avenue  and  William  Silvers,  South  Fifth  street. 

W.  L.  Townsley,  of  Hoopeston,  is  the  present  commander  of 
the  G.  A.  R.  post,  which  has  given  over  many  of  its  activities 


57 

\o  a  younger  veterans'  organization,  Ira  Owen  Kreager  Post,  of 
the  American  Legion,  which  is  told  about  in  another  section  of 
this  book.  Included  among  the  things  that  have  been  given  over 
is  the  conducting  of  Memorial  Bay,  May  31,  of  each  year.  So 
long  as  there  is  one  veteran  of  the  G.  A.  R.  remaining,  they  will 
take  an  active  part  in  the  Memorial  Day  services  honoring  the 
hero  dead  of  all  wars,  but  active  cnarge  of  the  day  has  passed 
from  their  "fast  failing  hands  to  others  consecrated  to  the  same 
ideals  and  purposes." 


DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION 

"Put  JvTone  But  Americans  On  Guard  Tonight." 


Hoopeston's  various  organizations  and  lodges  number  many 
interesting  orders  and  among  the  most  interesting  of  all  is  that 

of  "The  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution."  Perhaps  what  makes  the 
organization  the  most  interesting  is  the 
fact  that  in  order  to  become  eligible  for 
membership,  some  ancestor  must  have 
Tendered  military  aid  to  the  cause  of  in- 
dependence in  one  of  the  United  Colo- 
nies during  the  Revolutionary  war. 
Hoopeston's  chapter  of  the  D.  A.  R. 
numbers  65  active  members,  all  of 
whom  have  historic  ancestors. 

Twenty  years  ago  on  Thursday,  March  19,  1922,  the  call  was 
first  issued  for  the  formation  of  a  chapter  of  the  D.  A.  R.  in 
Hoopeston. 

The  patriotic  society,  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution, was  organized  in  Washington,  D.  C,  October  11,  1890. 
There  are  at  the  present  time  about  100,000  active  members,  or- 
ganized into  over  1,000  local  chapters.  The  actual  number  of  mem- 
berships the  society  has  issued  in  thirty-four  years  of  existence 
is  near  200,000.  The  National  Society  was  incorporated  by  Act 
of  Congress  in  1896,  and  in  accordance  with  this  act,  the  delegates 
meet  from  all  chapters  in  annual  congress  in  Washington  in  the 
veek  in  which  April  19  occurs. 

Membership  is  restricted  to  those  women,  who  are  at  least 
18  years  of  age,  and  of  whose  ancestors  at  least  one,  "with  unfail- 
ing loyalty,  rendered  martial  aid  to  the  cause  of  independence  as 
a  recognized  patriot,  as  a  soldier  or  sailor  or  as  a  civil  officer  in 
one  of  the  United  States  Colonies."  Every  application  for  mem- 
bership must  be  indorsed  by  at  least  one  member  of  the  national 
society,  and  is  then  submitted  to  headqu artery   at   Washington, 


58 

who  then  report  on  the  question  of  eligibility.  Upon  its  approval 
the  applicant  is  enrolled  as  a  member.  The  papers,  showing  their 
lineage  must  be  filed  within  one  year  after  presentation  of  the 
name. 

Object  of  the  society  is  to  "perpetuate  memory  of  the  spirit  of 
the  men  and  women  who  achieved  American  independence ;  to  pro- 
mote institutions  for  the  general  diffusion  of  knowledge ;  to  cher- 
ish and  maintain  and  extend  the  institutions  of  American  patriot- 
ism and  love  of  country  and  to  aid  in  securing  for  mankind  all 
blessings  of  liberty." 

The  national  society  has  collected  many  historic  relics,  which 
have  been  deposited  in  the  United  States  National  Museum  in 
Washington,  and  it  has  also  a  valuable  historical  and  geneolo»ical 
library  at  headquarters.  In  1902  the  society  purchased  a  site  in 
Washington  and  upon  this  a  Memorial  Continental  Hall  was  erect- 
ed. 

In  preservation  of  historic  relics  and  places  the  D.  A.  R.  of 
Hoopeston  is  also  doing  its  part.  Already  they  have  marked  one 
spot.  It  is  on  the  Dixie  Highway,  just  west  of  Hoopeston.  A 
large  rock  has  been  placed  there,  in  commemoration  of  the  old 
Hubbard's  Trail,  one  of  the  first  trails  in  this  part  of  Illinois. 

Each  local  chapter  is  named;  sometimes  after  the  town  in 
which  it  is  situated,  sometimes  for  an  ancestor,  or  former  member. 
There  is  only  one  stipulation  in  naming  a  chapter,  that  it  must 
not  be  named  for  any  living  person.  The  Hoopeston  chanter  of 
the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  is  named  Barbara 
Standish.  It  was  organized  September  8,  1905,  by  Mary  Hale 
Hamilton,  who  was  appointed  regent.  The  charter  was  received 
October  4,  1905,  and  the  charter  members  besides  Mrs.  Hamilton 
were  as  follows :  Anna  Dillon  Williams,  vice-regent ;  Eliza  Lukens 
Williams,  corresponding  secretary;  Anna  Coggershalf  Chace,  re- 
cording secretary;  Fannie  Clark  Todd,  treasurer;  Eunice  Sater 
Harry,  historian;  Lillian  Clark  Warner,  Jeanetta  Cory  Chamber- 
lain, Viola  Loduska  Hanly,  Julia  Dunfer  Smith,  Fanny  Graggs 
Tilton,  Mary  McVay  Dunavan,  Julia  Jones  Crary,  Isadore  Mc- 
Caughey,  Charlottee  Lee  McFerren,  Anna  Scott  Browne,  Emma 
Andrews  and  Gertrude  Hall  Lyons.  The  chapter  now  has  sixty- 
five  active  members  as  follows : 

Lutie  Woolverton  Rice,  regent;  Ida  McKibben  Strong,  vice- 
regent;  Grace  Schwartz  Wallbridge,  secretary;  Anna  Sager  Fin- 
ley,  treasurer;  Mary  Finley  Honeywrell,  registrar;  Nancy  Finley 
Crane,  chaplain;  Phoebe  Rawlings  Hutton,  historian,  Florence 
Davidson  Adams,  Miss  Emma  May  Andrews,  Alia  Banta  Arnold, 
Mildren  Painter  Beeman,  Laura  Haworth  Bell,  Irma  Crouch  Board- 
man,  Helen  Corey  Boardman,  Anna  Thompson  Boorde,  Clarissa 
Holmes  Bond,  Flora  Chestnut  Conant,  Edith  Finley  Corey,  Miss 
Irene  Crouch,  Amberzilla  Cox  Crouch,  Orrie  Albright  Cunningham, 
Margaret  Barnes  Deatrich,  Lillian  Lewis  Earel,  Hallie  Beel  Erick- 


59 

son,  Miss  Maude  Evans,  Miss  Gladys  Evans,  Gladys  Warner  Finch, 
Addie  Reece  Finley,  Miss  Margaret  Finley,  Miss  Elizabeth  Frank- 
lin Green,  Katherine  Barnes  Greene,  Iva  Beeman  Gustine,  Mabel 
Boorde  Harris,  Grace  Miller  Hawkins,  Miss  Sarah  Alice  Heaton, 
Miss  Marie  Honeywell,  Effie  Beal  Johnson,  Jessie  Bushnell  Jones, 
Miss  Mary  Isadore  McCaughey,  Hazel  Brown  McFarland,  Mar- 
garet Dale  Mann,  Mary  Janet  Miller,  Anna  Babcock  Morgan, 
Maude  Guy  Parnell,  Esther  Allen  Petry,  Carrie  Harlan  Pruitt, 
Miss  Minnie  Seavey,  Elizabeth  Schwartz  Sniveler,  Hattie  Marston 
Sibbitt,  Leota  Peters  Smith,  Nellie  Morgan  Singleton,  Lucy  Webb 
Wallace,  Eliza  Lukens  Williams,  Anna  Dillon  Williams,  Margaret 
Bushnell  Woodbury,  Lucy  Potter  Yates,  Miss  Zerita  Schwartz, 
Nelle  Campbell  Ogdon,  Laura  Franklin,  Vera  Crane  Muray,  Mary 
Watson  Johnson,  Lida  Watson. 


MASONIC  LODGES 


Star  Lodge,  No.  709,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 


Star  Lodge  No.  709,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  was  charter- 
ed in  1872.     The  charter  members  were:  George  Steely,  William 
Moore,  William    Brillhart,  Cyrus  Hartwell,    J.   S. 
Crane,  Thomas  Williams,  Johnathan  Bedell,  E.  D. 
North  and  J.  M.  Spinning. 

The  names  of  these  charter  members  it  will 
be  noted  were  those  of  men  all  of  whom  were  lead- 
ers in  the  pioneer  activities  of  the  city  of  a  civic 
and  political  nature  and  it  was  fitting  that  they 
should  organize  the  Masonic  lodge  in  Hoopeston,  which  stands  at 
the  head  of  the  fraternal  life  of  the  city. 

It  is  also  significant  that  the  Masonic  order  was  established 
in  Hoopeston  in  the  year  1872 — the  year  that  Hoopeston  became 
a  city,  which  means  that  from  the  founding  of  Hoopeston  until 
the  present  day  this  order  has  been  the  leader  in  fraternal  life. 

Membership  of  Star  Lodge  numbers  on  its  roster  in  the  year 
1925,  leaders  in  the  civic,  political  and  social  life  of  the  time,  in  the 
same  proportion  as  when  this  lodge  was  first  organized,  although 
the  membership  of  the  organization  has  kept  pace  with  the  town 
and  is  now  numbered  among  the  largest  in  this  section  of  the  state. 
The  Masonic  lodges  own  their  quarters  in  the  Commercial 
Club  building,  erection  of  this  structure  having  been  a  joint  effort 
between  the  Masons  and  the  Commercial  club.  These  quarters 
are  the  scene  of  the  regular  lodge  gatherings  and  are  also  often- 


60 

times  the  place  where  social  affairs  that  are  always  numbered- 
among  the  most  enjoyable  in  the  city  are  held. 

Charles  E.  Hughes  is  the  present  Worshipful  Master  of  Star 
Lodge  and  Dan  A.  Miller  is  Secretary. 


Hoopeston  Chapter  181,  R.  A.  M. 


In  the  year  1879,  there  were  only  fourteen  members  of  Hoop- 
eston Chapter  181,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  the  second  of  the  Masonic 
orders  which  owns  this  city  as  a  home.  From  that  small  number- 
has  been  built  a  lodge  now  numbering  over  four  score  of  members 
and  that  is  in  a  healthy  and  flourishing  condition^ 


Hoopeston  Chapter  0.  E.  £L 


A  large  and  active  chapter  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star 
is  an  auxiliary  of  the  Masonic  fraternities  and  many  of  the  social 
sessions  of  the  Masons  are  in  hands  of  this  organization  which 
numbers  the  greater  portion  of  the  feminine  leaders  of  Hoopeston 
among  its  ranks- 


Order  of  Builders 


Johnathan  Bedell  Chapter,  Order  of  Builders,  is  the  junior 
branch  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  a  chapter  of  which  flourishes 
in  Hoopeston.  This  junior  chapter  has  been  organized  only  a  few 
years,  but  despite  this  fact  is  growing  rapidly  and  becoming  a 
worthy  auxiliary  of  the  Masonic  fraternities, 


THE  MODERN  WOODMEN  OF  AMERICA 


Hoopeston  Camp  No.  257,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  was 
organized  in  November  1886,  with  a  membership  of  ten.  It  con- 
tinued to  exist  until  February  17,  1891,  when  it  was  re-organized 
under  the  same  charter.  The  same  charter  members  took  active 
part  in  this  re-organization  as  follows: 

J.  H.  Campbell,  Andrew  and  Joseph  Dallstream,  E.  R.  Mc- 
Connell,  J.  S.  Moses,  0.  C.  Rizer,  Albert  Wolcott,  B.  H.  Sedgwick, 
Dr.  W.  R.  Wilson  and  Thomas  Woolverton. 


61 

Neighbor  Frank  Bowser  was  the  first  Venerable  Consul  of  the 
order,  serving  only  six  months,  however,  until  Neighbor  Charles 
A.  Stites  was  elected  to  the  position.  George  Deitrich  then  served 
two  years  followed  in  order  by  the  following  venerable  consuls  up 
to  the  present  day: 

Charles  A.  Stites,  eight  years;  William  Bushnell,  one  year: 
Charles  Stites,  one  year;  Charles  Smith,  one  year;  Charles  Stites, 
two  years;  Ben  Rice,  one  year;  Charles  E.  Musson,  four  years; 
H.  A.  Rossing,  Ed.  Nelson,  Charles  Musson,  Bert  Stone,  Archie 
Dukes,  Edward  B.  Finch,  E.  H.  Richcreek,  William  McMurray 
and  H.  J.  Campbell. 

All  of  these  men  contributed  a  part  to  the  achievements  of 
the  Woodmen  attained  in  the  years  of  their  existence  as  well  as 
some  others  not  honored  in  an  official  capacity  but  who  were 
among  the  greatest  boosters  for  the  organization. 

Neighbor  Andrew  Dallstream  was  the  first  clerk  of  the  Wood- 
men and  labored  hard  for  two  years  trying  to  reach  the  one  hun- 
dred mark  in  membership  but  ninety-five  was  the  best  that  could 
be  done  at  that  time.  Following  Clerk  Dallstream's  death  the  late 
C.  J.  Nelson  served  one  year  and  was  succeeded  by  Neighbor  J.  W. 
Sherill  who  served  only  a  few  months  until  the  late  Nelson  J.  Mc- 
Coy was  elected.  Clerk  McCoy  served  for  17  years  until  the  time 
of  his  death  which  occurred  on  October  11,  1917.  The  camp  at 
that  time  had  a  membership  of  342  and  was  in  a  prosperous  and 
growing  condition  when  H.  W.  Birch  was  named  clerk  pro-tem 
to  serve  until  Leroy  Songer  was  elected  to  the  office  in  November, 
1917,  to  serve  the  unexpired  term  of  Clerk  McCoy.  Clerk  Songer 
was  re-elected  in  December  1917  and  in  1918  and  has  been  return- 
ed to  the  office  each  year  since  by  the  members. 

On  April  30,  1925,  the  membership  roster  showed  483  mem- 
bers, making  the  Modern  Woodmen  in  point  of  numbers  one  of 
the  strongest  of  Hoopeston's  fraternal  institutions.  The  gain 
of  over  100  members  since  1917  has  largely  been  due  to  the 
efficient  work  of  Clerk  Leroy  Songer  and  other  officers  with  the 
excellent  support  that  has  been  given  by  the  membership  body. 

The  Modern  Woodmen  in  addition  to  their  social  and  fraternal 
advantages  have  a  "business  "side  to  their  organization  that  is 
well  worth  the  investigation  of  every  citizen.  This  is  in  reference 
to  their  insurance  benefits,  the  Hoopeston  lodge  having  made  a 
wonderful  record  in  this  field  since  their  establishment  in  this 
city. 

The  Woodmen  maintain  commodious  quarters  in  The  Chron- 
icle-Herald Building  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Bank  streets  and 
meet  every  Wednesday  night.  Their  lodge  rooms  are  also  often 
the  scene  of  special  gatherings  of  a  social  nature. 

Following  are  the  1925  officers : 

W.  J.  Campbell,  Venerable  Consul;  W.  J.  McMurray,  Past 
Consul;  E.  E.  Ellis,    Adviser;  Leroy  Songer,  Clerk;    Thomas  F. 


62 

Clements,  Banker;  Donald  Ellis,  escort;  Thomas  0.  Magee,  Watch- 
man; N.  A.  Norris,  Sentry;  E.  J.  Keister,  E.  C.  Endsley  and  Fred 
Martin,  Trustees;  Dr.  Fred  E.  Earel,  Dr.  A.  J.  Clay,  Dr.  A.  L. 
Brobeck,  Dr.  F.  P.  Johnson,  Dr.  C.  0.  Nelms  and  Dr.  A.  M.  Earel, 
medical  examiners. 


The  Royal  Neighbors 


A  large  and  active  auxiliary  of  the  Woodmen  lodge,  'The 
Royal  Neighbors"  exists  in  Hoopeston,  and  use  the  Woodmen 
lodge  rooms  for  their  meetings  which  are  held  on  a  regular  sche- 
dule. The  Royal  Neighbors  exert  considerable  of  an  influence  on 
the  social  life  not  only  of  the  lodge  but  of  the  city  as  well.  Each 
year  finds  them  with  a  stronger  membership  keeping  pace  with 
the  Woodmen. 


THE  KNIGHTS  OF  COLUMBUS 


Hoopeston  Council,  No.  1,761 


In  October  1914,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Fred  Gahlman,  pastor  of  St. 
Anthony's  Catholic  church,  interested  a  number  of  the  members 
of  the  St.  Anthony's  parish  in  the  formation  of  a 
council  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus  in  Hoopeston.  On 
October  7,  1914,  the  new  organization  was  founded, 
James  Boyle  and  A.  B.  Shannon,  of  Danville,  State 
Deputy  Brown  and  Edward  Houlihan,  of  Chicago, 
coming  to  Hoopeston  to  aid  in  the  organization  work. 

At  this  organization  meeting  Ford  Bradley  was  selected  as 
the  first  Grand  Knight  of  the  lodge,  to  serve  for  the  period  of  one 
year,  until  October  1915,  and  other  officers  were  as  follows:  Dep- 
uty Grand  Knight,  Ambrose  Roark;  Chancellor,  John  Barragree; 
Recorder,  Walter  Ernst ;  Financial  Secretary,  Clarence  R.  McClaf f- 
lin;  Treasurer,  John  Burdan;  Lecturer,  J.  M.  Hannell;  Advocate, 
A.  Bell ;  Warden,  J.  Sloan ;  Guards,  Peter  Balensiefer  and  Thomas 
Green;  Trustees,  James  Barragree,  James  Mulcahey,  Mike  Stack; 
Chaplain,  Rev.  Fr.  Fred  Gahlman. 

The  new  organization  flourished  during  its  first  year,  filling 
a  need  that  had  been  long  felt  in  the  social  life  of  St.  Anthony's 
parish.  Lodge  rooms  were  located  over  the  Parenti  Confection- 
cry,   (now  the  H.  &  H.  Confectionery). 

On  October  5,   1915,    Hugh  Roark,  jr.,  was  named    Grand 


63 

Knight  to  serve  the  second  year  until  October,  1916.  Other  offic- 
ers were  as  follows:  Deputy  Grand  Knight.  Michael  Anderson, 
jr.,  Chancellor,  William  Auth;  Recorder,  William  Regan;  Finan- 
cial Secretary,  C.  R.  McClafflin;  Treasurer,  John  Burdan;  Lectur- 
er, J.  M.  Hannel ;  Advocate,  Stephen  Morrow ;  Warden,  John 
Sloan ;  Guards,  Peter  Balensiefer  and  Henry  Barragree ;  Trustees, 
James  Mulcahey,  Mike  Stack  and  Charles  Tomilson ;  Chaplain,  Fr. 
Fred  Gahlman. 

The  story  of  the  lodge  has  been  one  of  continual  growth  since 
its  organization.  At  the  end  of  the  second  administration  it  was 
in  a  healthy  and  flourishing  condition  and  continued  so  during  the 
next  two  administrations,  1916  and  1917,  during  which  the  follow- 
ing officers  served: 

1916 — Hugh  Roark,  jr.,  Grand  Knight,  (re-elected)  ;  Deputy 
Grand  Knight,  Thomas  Green ;  Chancellor,  William  Auth ;  Recor- 
der, Ray  Barragree ;  Financial  Secretary,  C.  R.  McClafflin ;  Treas- 
urer,, Arthur  Bell ;  Lecturer,  Ed.  Layden ;  Advocate  Peter  T. 
Roark ;  Warden,  Joe  Barragree ;  Guards,  William  Murphy  and  Joe 
Green ;  Trustees,  Mike  Stack,  Charles  Tomilson  and  William  Golds- 
berry  ;  Fr.  Fred  Gahlman,  chaplain. 

In  1917  the  outbreak  of  the  world  war  came  and  the  Hoopes- 
ton  council,  as  did  others  throughout  the  nation,  raised  a  great 
fund  for  aid  and  comfort  of  the  men  in  camps  in  this  country  and 
in  France  and  England.  This  fund  was  used  to  establish  Knights 
of  Columbus  huts  in  various  camps  and  the  amount  of  good  that 
was  done  can  only  be  measured  when  the  final  summing  up  of 
all  things  earthly  is  effected.  This  fund  was  administered  with- 
out consideration  of  creed,  color  or  country  and  the  soldier  boys 
of  all  nations  enjoyed  their  privileges  in  France,  while  in  the 
camps  of  this  country,  soldiers  of  all  faith  and  creeds  gathered  at 
the  K.  of  C.  huts  for  the  entertainments,  etc.,  that  served  to  aid 
in  whiling  away  the  long  hours  away  from  home  and  in  keeping 
up  the  morale  of  the  army. 

John  Sloan,  jr.,  was  re-elected  Grand  Knight  in  1918  and 
Charles  Green,  Deputy  Grand  Knight.  Other  officers  were :  Chan- 
cellor, John  Gleason ;  Recorder,  J.  M.  Hannell ;  Financial  Secretary, 
Hugh  Roark,  jr.,  Treasurer,  Peter  Roark,  jr.,  Lecturer,  Frank  Lee; 
Advocate,  Robert  Carlin ;  Warden,  John  Burdan ;  Guards,  William 
Murphy  and  Hugh  Roark,  Sr. ;  Trustees,  William  Goldsberry, 
Henry  Barragree  and  Peter  Balensiefer. 

The  war  ended  in  1918  and  the  National  council  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus  still  had  on  its  hands  a  great  part  of  the  fund 
that  had  been  given  by  councils  throughout  the  nation  for  war 
work.  This  fund  was  set  aside  for  educational  purposes  and  has 
been  used  to  give  schooling  in  many  trades  and  professions,  to  ex- 
servicemen,  regardless  of  their  religious  affiliations  up  to  the 
present  time. 

The  year  1919  found  the  lodge  in  new  quarters  in  the  Burton 


64 

building",  to  which  they  had  removed  in  the  latter  part  of  1918. 
George  E.  Harbert  was  the  first  Grand  Knight  to  serve  in  the  new 
lodge  rooms,  among  the  finest  in  the  city  and  the  Deputy  Grand 
Knight  was  William  Regan.  Chancellor,  Nicholas  Gaston;  Recor- 
der, James  Regan;  Financial  Secretary,  Hugh  Roark,  jr.;  Treas- 
urer, Peter  Roark  jr.;  Lecturer,  Charles  Thuot;  Advocate,  William 
Nichols;  Warden,  Franklin  Murphy;  Guards,  Henry  Cosgrove, 
Hugh  Roark,  Sr. ;  Trustee,  Henry  Barragree,  Peter  Balensiefer 
and  William  Goldsberry. 

Peter  Roark,  jr.,  was  elected  Grand  Knight  at  the  election  held 
October  7,  1920,  and  other  officers  were  as  follows:  Deputy 
Grand  Knight,  Henry  Cosgrove;  Chancellor,  J.  M.  Hanneli;  Re- 
corder, Franklin  Murphy;  Financial  Secretary,  Hugh  Roark,  jr.; 
Treasurer,  John  Sloan;  Lecturer,  Ralph  Houghton;  Advocate, 
Ralph  Houghton;  Warden,  Thomas  Green;  Guards,  Joe  Green 
and  J.  N.  Fraley ;  Trustees,  Peter  Balensiefer,  William  Goldsberry 
and  Henry  Barragree. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Hanneli  was  elected  Grand  Knight  at  the  election 
held  October  6,  1921,  and  it  was  during  this  year  that  the  lodge 
increased  their  activities  to  include  an  athletic  program,  a  basket- 
ball team:  being  formed  as  follows:  G.  E.  Harbert,  manager;  J. 
Fraley,  captain;  Paul  Fraley,  Thomas  Gustin,  Franklin  Murphy 
and  Pat  Sheridan.  A  schedule  of  games  was  played,  the  majority 
of  which  were  victories  for  the  Knights.  Enough  money  was 
made  to  purchase  sweaters  and  baseball  uniforms,  which  were 
used  the  following  spring.  Other  officers  for  1921  were:  Deputy 
Grand  Knight,  Joe  Green;  Chancellor,  William  Regan;  Recorder, 
James  Regan ;  Financial  Secretary,  Hugh  Roark  jr. ;  Treasurer, 
John  Sloan;  Lecturer,  George  E.  Harbert;  Advocate,  Henry  Bar- 
ragree; Warden,  Charles  Thuot;  Guards,  Henry  Cosgrove  and 
Peter  Balensiefer. 

In  1922,  Fr.  Fred  Gahlman  had  the  honor  of  serving  in  a 
double  official  capacity,  when  he  was  elected  Grand  Knight  and 
Chaplain.  Other  officers  were :  Deputy  Grand  Knight,  J.  N.  Fra- 
ley ;  Chancellor,  J.  M.  Hanneli ;  Recorder,  James  Regan ;  Financial 
Secretary,  Hugh  Roark,  jr.;  Treasurer,  John  Sloan;  Lecturer, 
Peter  Roark,  jr.;  Advocate,  Franklin  Murphy;  Warden,  Charles 
Thuot;  Guards,  Thomas  Green  and  Ralph  Houghton;  Trustees, 
William  Goldsberry,  Peter  Balensiefer  and  Henry  Barragree. 

Charles  Thuot  was  elected  to  the  post  of  Grand  Knight  at 
the  election  held  October  6,  1923,  and  the  following  were  named 
to  serve  with  him :  Deputy  Grand  Knight,  Stephen  Morrow ;  Chan- 
cellor, J.  M.  Hanneli;  Recorder,  Dwayne  Heffernan;  Financial 
Secretary,  Franklin  Murphy;  Treasurer,  Lucien  Archambeault ; 
Lecturer;  Joseph  Schuler;  Advocate,  Ralph  Houghton;  Warden, 
Thomas  Green;  Guards,  James  Regan  and  Charles  Green;  Trus- 
tees, Peter  Balensiefer,  Henry  Barragree  and  Charles  B.  Murray. 

In  October,  1924,  John  Fraley  was  elected  Grand  Knight  of 


6h 

the  Council  and  Jesse  Hoover  was  named  to  the  position  of  Deputy 
Grand  Knight.  Other  officers  who  are  at  present  serving  are  as 
follows :  Chancellor,  J.  Hannell ;  Recorder,  Elmer  Denman ;  Fin- 
ancial Secretary,  Franklin  Murphy;  Treasurer,  Lucien  Archam- 
beault ;  Lecturer,  J.  M.  Hannell ;  Advocate,  Claire  Regan ;  Warden, 
Charles  Thuot;  Guards,  James  Regan  and  James  Dodd;  Trustees, 
Charles  D.  Murray,  John  Sloan  and  Peter  Roark,  jr. 

In  each  administration  since  the  organization  of  the  lodge 
the  Rev.  Fr.  Fred  Gahlman,  pastor  of  St.  Anthony's  church  has 
served  in  the  capacity  of  chaplain. 

In  January,  1925,  the  disastrous  fire  which  partially  destroy- 
ed the  Town  Clock  and  Burton  building  burned  out  the  council 
quarters,  destroying  their  equipment.  At  a  recent  meeting  held, 
the  council  decided  to  rent  the  property  of  Fr.  Fred  Gahlman, 
323  East  Lincoln  street,  remodel  the  house  that  stands  there  and 
use  this  as  their  quarters.  This  will  be  their  new  home  when  this 
task,  now  begun,  has  been  completed. 


HOOPESTON  LODGE,  I.  O.  O.  P. 


The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  is  another  of  the  fra- 
ternal organizations  that  has  been  established  in  Hoopeston  al- 
most continuously  since  the  founding  of  the  city,  being  establish- 
ed here  in  1872.  In  the  month  of  September  of  that  year,  a  char- 
ter for  the  lodge  was  granted  to  the  following  members:  W.  F. 
Rader,  Sidney  Teller,  B.  F.  Stites,  John  Burns  and  H.  Shaver. 

In  the  year  1879,  the  lodge  had  grown  until  there  were  forty 
members  on  the  roster  and  this  growth  has  been  continued  at  an 
excellent  rate  since  that  time  until  there  are  at  present  over  a 
hundred  members  on  the  lists  of  the  organization  in  Hoopeston. 
The  Odd  Fellows  meet  every  Tuesday  evening  in  their  lodge  rooms 
in  the  Town  Clock  Building. 


MARY  HARTWELL  CATHERWOOD  CLUB 


Although  originally  organized  as  a  purely  literary  club,  the 
Mary  Hartwell  Catherwood  club  is  deserving  of  a  place  in  the 
history  of  the  city.  It  is  named  for  and  dedicated  to  one  of 
Hoopeston's  most  illustrious  residents,  Mrs.  Mary  Hartwell  Cath- 
erwood, famous  novelist,  who  for  many  years  was  a  citizen  of 
Hoopeston.  It  is  also  deserving  of  a  place  in  the  history  of  Hoop- 
eston for  the  works  it  has  accomplished. 

Organized  in  November,  1895,  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Frances 


66 

Trego,  among  the  charter  members  were:  Mrs.  Mary  Hartwell 
Catherwood,  Mrs.  A.  H.  Trego,  Mrs.  Dale  Wallace  and  Mrs.  E.  C. 
Griffith. 

Three  years  after  its  organization  the  club  took  up  a  work  for 
which  it  will  be  remembered  for  many  years  in  Hoopeston,  that  of 
sponsoring  the  Free  Public  Library  in  Hoopeston.  Although  it 
was  only  a  few  years  until  a  Carnegie  Free  Public  Library  had 
been  established  in  Hoopeston,  to  the  Mary  Hartwell  Catherwood 
club  belongs  the  credit  of  establishment  of  the  first  free  public 
library.  They  have  since  the  establishment  of  the  Carnegie  Li- 
brary been  amlong  its  most  loyal  supporters. 

The  club  now  numbers  thirty  members  and  holds  regular 
meetings  every  other  Monday  evening  nine  months  of  the  year. 
Its  annual  banquets,  since  the  organization  of  the  club  have  been 
among  the  most  exclusive  and  successful  social  functions  of  the 
city  and  remain  so  at  the  present  time. 


LOYAL  ORDER  OF  MOOSE 


Although  among  the  youngest  of  Hoopeston's  fraternal 
orders,  The  Moose  Lodge  in  point  of  numbers  is  one  of  the  strong- 
est in  the  city,  and  each  year  that  passes  shows  this  member  :hip 
increased  and  the  lodge  in  better  conditions.  Regular  meetings 
are  held  by  the  Moose  in  their  quarters  on  Main  street  and  their 
hall  is  also  often  the  scene  of  social  activities  and  dances  that  are 
among  the  best  events  of  the  nature  held  in  Hoopeston. 


Commercial  Activities 


General  Survey — Some  Hoopeston  "Rooster"  Points — The  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce — The  Hoopeston  National  Bank — The  First 
National  Bank — Hoopeston's  Newspapers — The  North  Ver- 
milion Chronicle  Established  by  Dale  Wallace  and  Gideon  W. 
Seavey — The  Hoopeston  Herald — The  Chronicle-Heralds — 
Classified  Business  Directory  of  Hoopeston, 


Almost  from  the  first  day  of  its  founding',  Hoopeston  has  en- 
joyed a  prominent  place  in  mercantile  circles  of  the  county  and 
state.  Its  location  has  won  for  the  town  the  right  to  be  considered 
as  the  "trading  capital"  of  Northern  Vermilion  county.  Its 
trade  territory  is  not  confined  to  Vermilion  county  alone,  how- 
ever, and  extends  into  Western  Indiana  for  many  miles  and  also 
embraces  a  good  portion  of  southern  Iroquois  county. 

The  story  of  the  growth  of  Hoopeston  has  in  a  large  measure 
been  the  story  of  its  mercantile  establishments.  Where  at  first 
one  general  store,  a  hardware  store  and  a  few  "home  trading 
centers"  came  into  existence,  now  is  a  city  containing  a  store  for 
every  specialized  need  and  not  only  one  of  them  but  in  the  ma- 
jority of  cases  several  establishments  that  will  compare  favorably 
with  those  of  cities  of  much  greater  size. 

Some  of  the  facts  that  have  led  to  the  location  in  this  city 
of  these  solid  and  substantial  mercantile  establishments  are  given 
following. 

Hoopeston  has  more  miles  of  paved  street  than  any  other 
city  of  its  size  in  the  world.  More  paving  is  being  laid  annually 
by  the  city  and  beautiful  thoroughfares  are  being  kept  in  repair, 
that  insures  their  life  for  many  years  to  come. 

Hoopeston's  schools  are  second  to  none  in  the  state.  A  high 
school  providing  several  elective  college  courses,  classed  as  a 
.^rade  "A"  institution  and  from  which  students  have  been  ad- 
mitted to  Yale  University,  Harvard  University,  Princeton  Uni- 
versity and  many  of  the  other  great  seats  of  learning. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
ANA 


:  ^ 


69 

Hoopeston  has  the  cheapest  gas  and  electric  rate  of  any  city 
in  the  state  of  Illinois.  It  has  a  gas  and  electric  plant,  owned  by 
the  Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company,  which  supplies  light 
and  heat  to  residents  at  a  cost  that  is  far  below  that  of  any  other 
city  in  the  state.  It  has  a  municipally  owned  waterworks  which 
keeps  the  city  supplied  with  wholesome  water,  that  time  and  again 
has  been  tested  and  proved  to  be  the  healthiest  water  in  the  state. 

Hoopeston  is  a  city  of  good  moral  tone,  it  never  has  had 
a  saloon  in  operation  within  the  city  limits,  many  beautiful 
churches  with  large  congregations  supply  the  religious  needs  of 
the  city. 

Financially  the  city  is  in  first  class  shape.  It  is  the  only  city 
in  the  country  that  has  been  known  to  lend  money  to  its  citizens, 
with  which  to  build  homjes,  through  a  Building  and  Loan  Asso- 
ciation. 

Hoopeston  is  above  everything  else  a  city  of  beautiful  homes. 
More  residents  own  their  own  homes  in  Hoopeston  than  in  any 
other  city  of  its  size  in  the  nation.  Beautiful  residential  districts 
stretch  in  every  direction  from  the  central  business  district  and 
building  operations  for  the  coming  year  are  expected  to  experi- 
ence a  boom,  providing  homes  for  many  more  citizens  who  come 
here  to  make  their  home. 

Hoopeston  has  a  $100,000  motion  picture  theatre  known  as 
The  Lorraine  Theater,  which  was  built  and  placed  in  operation  in 
Hoopeston  by  E.  J.  Boorde.  The  theatre  is  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful in  the  state  of  Illinois,  caters  to  the  best  class  of  pictures 
shown  in  the  country  and  provides  a  wholesome  source  of  amuse- 
ment. 

Hoopeston  has  the  most  modern  equipped  newspaper  plant 
in  a  city  of  6,000  in  the  state  of  Illinois.  The  paper,  The  Chronicle- 
Herald,  is  published  daily  by  The  Aldrich  Printing  &  Publishing 
Company,  which  also  does  high-class  jobwork.  A  weekly,  sum- 
ming the  news  of  the  day  for  the  farmers  is  also  published. 

All  of  these  factors  have  proved  of  inestimable  value  in  the 
growth  of  the  city  commercially.  They  have  provided  a  firm 
foundation  upon  which  the  merchants  of  Hoopeston  have  built 
trade  to  the  value  of  many  thousands  of  dollars  annually. 

A  live  Chamber  of  Commerce,  at  present  one  of  five  in  the 
state  of  Illinois  employing  a  woman  secretary,  Miss  Bertha  York, 
functions  as  the  central  clearing  house  for  community  activities 
and  provides  a  means  of  pooling  the  interests  of  the  commercial 
leaders  of  Hoopeston. 


THE  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE 


Hoopeston's  first  civic  commercial  organization  was  styled 
the  Hoopeston  Business  Men's  Association  and  for  many  years 
served  the  needs  of  the  growing  city,  until  1919,  when  the  need 


7) 

for  more  unified  effort  became  apparent.  The  Business  Men's 
Association  had  not  proved  a  failure,  but  the  town  had  simply 
prown  to  beyond  its  capacity  to  serve.  Therefore,  it  was  deter- 
mined that  a  Chamber  of  Commerce  should  be  established  and  on 
August  5,  1919,  A.  M.  Keller,  I.  E.  Merritt  and  Ellsworth  Iliff 
were  selected  as  an  incorporating  committee  and  became  the  in- 
corporators of  "The  Hoopeston  Chamber  of  Commerce,"  the  ob- 
jects of  which  are: 

"To  promote  the  commercial,  industrial  and  civil  welfare 
of  the  City  of  Hoopeston  and  her  surrounding  district;  to  aid  in 
the  conservation  and  advancement  of  the  business  and  profession- 
al interests  in  this  community;  to  foster  and  encourage  the  manu- 
facturing and  agricultural  development  and  to  bring  into  closer 
lion  and  co-operation,  the  entire  community  through  member- 
h?p  in  the  Hoopeston  Chamber  of  Commerce." 

The  following  persons  were  selected  to  control  the  destinies  of 
the  new  incorporation  for  the  first  year:  George  E.  Evans,  trea- 
rurer;  Mac  C.  Wallace,  John  F.  Ost,  William  Moore,  I.  E.  Merritt, 
Ellsworth  Iliff,  Ore  M.  Ross,  W.  C.  Welty,  E.  J.  Boorde,  F.  C. 
Moore,  I.  N.  Heaton,  Mark  R.  Koplin,  Charles  W.  Warner,  Otto 
Ogdon  and  Walter  Trego. 

A  charter  was  issued  by  the  secretary  of  state  and  the  new 
organization  was  ready  for  business.  It  was  determined  that  a 
paid  secretary  would  accomplish  more  for  the  city  and  the  com- 
mercial and  industrial  interests  and  Orren  I.  Bandeen  was  em- 
ployed for  the  period  of  one  year. 

On  December  9,  1920,  a  meeting  of  the  membership  body 
was  held,  the  constitution  and  by-laws  were  adopted  and  the  fol- 
lowing board  of  directors  elected  for  two  years,  ending  December 
1.  1922:  G.  H.  Couchman,  Dr.  Fred  E.  Earel,  Dr.  John  A.  Heaton, 
Thomas  Martin,  W.  A.  Miskimen,  L.  W.  Singleton;  For  one  year, 
ending  December  1,  1921:  Dexter  Crandall,  George  Lester,  D. 
J.  McFerren,  A.  W.  Murray,  Otto  Ogdon  and  Walter  Trego.  At  a 
special  meeting  held  December  14,  1920,  the  board  organized  by 
electing  the  following  officers:  Dexter  Crandall,  president;  G. 
H.  Couchman,  vice-president;  E.  E.  Yates,  treasurer;  0.  I.  Ban- 
deen, secretary. 

A  membership  drive  was  staged  by  the  new  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce during  1921  that  resulted  in  a  strong  roster  list  of  nearly 
200  members  being  signed  up  for  a  period  of  three  years. 

On  Novemjber  16,  1921,  H.  B.  Zabriskie,  of  Patterson,  New 
Jersey,  was  employed  to  succeed  O.  I.  Bandeen  as  secretary  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce.  Mr.  Bandeen  had  resigned  to  go  to  a 
larger  city.  Mr.  Zabriskie  served  during  the  first  six  months  of 
his  term  satisfactorily  and  had  started  to  serve  his  second  period 
of  six  months,  when  the  board  of  directors  terminated  its  con- 
tract with  him  to  permit  the  secretary  to  go  to  another  Illinois 
city.     Paul  Weber  was  named  as  the  president  of  the  Chamber 


7i 


o 

A 

© 

*i 

ores 

ft 

■ 

H 

H 

<i 

P 

3 

02 

05         O 

p 

a* 

^ 

cr 

S3- 

CD 

Qj 

o 

f  Ho 
ratio 

^* 

CD 

P 

p 

P 

CO 

P 

CD 

< 

p 

p 

CO 

CD 

p 

3 

CD 
CO 

CO 

p' 

CD 
CO 

CO 

CO 

p 

B 

O 

H 

P        O 

W 

>p 

o 

o 

►— ' 

CD 

o 

n 

p- 

CD 

<—t- 

3 

•"S 

p 

CD 

cr 

p 

CO 

o 
p 

P- 

P- 
P 

P 
<-r 

•""^ 

H 

O 

CO 

<-r 
O 

P^ 

CD 

cd 
3 

co 

CO 
CD 

P 
rt- 

P 

3 
p 

p 

cr 

CD 

CD 
P 

bo' 

M 

CD 
O 

Crq 

co" 

3 

o 
cd 

< 

CD 
P. 

CO 

CD 

O 

p 

C"*" 

5' 

O 
P 

P_ 

5' 

CO 

<~r 

CD 

p 
p 

CO 

CD 

o 

cf- 

p 
a; 

o 

72 

P 
CO 

hrj 

CD 
CO 

p 
>p 

CD 

CO* 
CD 

K 

CD 
►"1 

c-r 

P- 
P 

"2 

CD 
CO 

CD 

<-r 

cr 
p 

CO 

5' 

CD 

co 

CO 

6 

Er 

'<; 
o 

>-2 

o 

o 

<-r 
P- 

5' 

H 
<: 
p 

p 

CO 

o* 

B 

Si 

CD 

CL 

P 

o 

o 

CD 
CD 

o 

CD 

Cfl 

O 

3 

cr 

g 

<j 
p 

p 

co^ 

O 

p 

rt- 

CD 

o 

*5. 

PL. 

CO 

c-r 

p 

<-r 

O 

r-h 
P" 

p- 
CD 

P 
e-t- 

CD 

P. 

p 

B' 

w 

<< 

c-r 

O 

o 

cL 

5' 

3 

p 

p 

CO 

SI 

CD 

P 
r-r- 

°. 

ft) 

r-r 

CD 
O 

>p 

CD 

CO 

P- 

CD 

C-f- 

1-1 

P- 
P 
C-h 

o 

p 
p 

cr- 

tr 

c6 

CD 

h^ 

CD 

Ou 

N* 
(D 

co 

GO 

t3 

p 

3 
a' 

CD 
P 

cr 

CO 

<-r 
o 

►1 

H 

CD 
c-r 

O 

Co" 
P 

< 
p 
p 

CO 

CO 

P 

P 

Qrq 

CD 
P 

O 

"3 
o 

cr 
fD 

CD 

o 

O 

P 
CD 

CD 

cr 
p 

P- 

CD 
CD 

3 

CD 
»1 

CD 
P 
P 
r-r 

P- 

O 
P 

o 

CD 

C5- 

CD 

>P 

CD 
CO 

CD 

CO 

p 

P 

P. 

o 

o 

B 

B 

CD 

►1 

CO 

p 

CO 

rr 

P 
O 
<-r 

rt- 

p- 

P 
CD 

O 
r-h 

S3- 

p 

p 
p 

P- 

P 

g 

CO* 
P 

o 

3 

p 

rr 
c-r- 
S3- 
CD 

3 

p 
p 
p 

CD 

o 

3 
er 

CD 

co" 

O 

CD 

p 

CfQ 

p 

rf 

P- 

fD 

■  i-r. 

o 

p- 

CD 

CD 
CO 

o 

P- 

| 

P 

P' 

^J" 

p 

c£ 

CD 

<-r 

3 

3 

P 

< 

P 

CD 

p 

HI 

P 

S3- 

CD 

CO 

CD 

CO 

i 

c-r- 

CD 

72 


lor  the  year  1922  and  was  serving  at  the  time  Mr.  Zabriskio 
ended  his  connection.  From  then  until  April,  1923,  the  Chambev 
was  without  a  paid  monitor,  when  Howard  N.  Yates,  of  Fairbury, 
Illinois,  was  given  a  six  months  contract. 

George  E.  Evans,  one  of  the  principal  figures  in  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Chamber  of  Commjerce  and  for  many  years  one  of 
the  staunchest  supporters  of  the  civic  body  was  elected  president 
in  December,  1922,  to  serve  during  1923  and  executed  the  con- 
tract with  Mr.  Yates  as  secretary. 

At  the  conclusion  of  his  six  months  service,  Mr.  Yates  re- 
turned to  Fairbury  Association  of  Commerce,  as  its  secretary 
and  the  Hoopeston  organization  was  again  left  without  a  paid 
adviser. 

In  December,  1923,  G.  H.  Couchman  was  named  as  presi- 
dent of  the  organization  to  serve  during  the  year  1924.  It  had 
been  determined  that  the  civic  organization  would  do  without 
the  services  of  a  paid  secretary  for  a  time  in  order  to  recuperate 
their  finances  as  well  as  to  try  out  a  new  system.  In  the  fall  of 
1924  it  was  decided,  however,  that  a  paid  secretary  was  a  neces- 
sity to  the  organization,  and  Miss  Bertha  York,  a  native  of 
Hoopeston  was  selected  as  its  mentor  and  adviser. 

In  December,  1924,  Paul  E.  Weber  was  elected  to  serve  an- 
other  term  as  president  of  the  organization,  due  to  the  great 
strides  which  the  civic  body  made  during  his  first  administration. 
How  wise  a  choice  this  was,  will  be  best  determined  at  the  end 
of  the  present  year,  1925,  with  the  organization  in  perhaps  its 
healthiest  and  best  condition  since  its  establishment. 


TlOOPESlON  jMTiONAL  DANK 

\C  HOOPESTON,   ILL.  J)J> 


^ 


73 


THE  HOOPESTON  NATIONAL  BANK 


Established  in  June,  1909,  the  Hoopeston  National  Bank,  al- 
though this  city^s  youngest  financial  institution  has  enjoyed  a 
steady  growth  in  business  and  popularity  until  at  the  present 

time  it  is  considered  one  xl  the 
strongest  banks  in.  this  Action 
of  the  state. 

For  many  years  after  thr 
Hamilton  &  Cunningham  bank 
had  ceased  to  exist  in  Hoopes- 
ton  the  First  National  Bank  was 
the  only  institution  of  this  na- 
ture in  Hoopeston. 

In  the  year  1909  I.  E.  Mer- 
ritt  and  Mark  R.  Koplin  of 
Buckley,  Illinois,  came  to  Hoop- 
eston. These  two  gentlemen 
were  at  that  time  proprietors 
of  the  State  Bank  at  Buckley 
and  became  convinced  that  there 
was  room  for  another  sturdy  fi- 
nancial institution.  Accordingly 
in  June,  1909,  the  Hoopeston 
National  Bank  was  established. 
In  1922,  Mr.  Koplin  who  had 
served  as  cashier  of  the  bank  foi 
the  thirteen  year  period  up  to  that  time,  withdrew  from  the  bus- 
iness removing  to  Memphis,  Tennessee.  His  place  as  cashier  of 
the  bank  was  taken  by  L.  W.  Singleton,  another  Buckley  citizen, 
who  has  with  its  president,  Mr.  Merritt,  been  responsible  for  the 
conduct  of  affairs  of  the  institution  up  to  the  present  date. 

Commercial  banking,  foreign  exchange,  safe  deposits  vaults, 
savings  department,  travelers  cheques  and  letters  of  credit  are 
all  handled  by  the  Hoopeston  National  Bank  which  under  the  guid- 
ance of  able  officials  has  grown  in  its  sixteen  year  history  to  be 
known  throughout  the  state  as  a  power  in  the  banking  world. 

The  Hoopeston  National  bank,  at  the  close  of  business  Decem- 
ber 31,  1924,  had  assets  of  $1,203,655.  Its  capitalization  is  $100,- 
000. 

Officers  of  the  bank  at  present  are:  Isaac  E.  Merritt,  Presi- 
dent; James  H.  Dyer,  Vice-President;  L.  W.  Singleton,  Cashier; 
Everett  E.  Yates,  Asst.  Cashier. 

Directors  are:  I.  E.  Merritt,  James  H.  Dyer,  L.  W.  Singleton, 


I.  E.   Merritt 


William  McFerren 


75 

B.  R.  Burton,  J.  A.  Fickle,  Tade  Layden  and  William  B.  McFar- 
land. 

Courteous  service  to  all,  regardless  of  the  size  of  their  account 
or  the  business  which  they  have  to  transact,  is  the  unbroken 
rule  at  the  Hoopeston  National  Bank. 


THE  FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK 


Established  in  the  year  1872,  shortly  after  the  city  of  Hoop- 
eston had  been  incorporated,  the  First  National  Bank  is  not  only 
the  city's  oldest  financial  institution,  but  for  many  years  was  the 
only  business  of  this  nature  carried  on  in  Hoopeston.  The  bank 
was  established  by  J.  S.  McFerren,  pioneer  resident  and  the  first 
mayor  of  Hoopeston,  with  a  capitalization  of  $25,000.  It  was  a 
successful  venture  from  the  start,  residents  of  this  section  repos- 
ing great  confidence  in  the  business  ability  of  J.  S.  McFerren,  who 
was  named  as  President  of  the  bank,  an  office  in  which  he  con- 
tinued up  to  the  date  of  his  death  in  1921. 

The  history  of  the  First  National  bank  has  been  one  of  con- 
tinuing growth  and  expansion.  As  the  town  of  Hoopeston  took 
on  the  form  of  a  city,  the  bank's  capitalization  was  increased,  de- 
positors flocked  to  its  doors  and  today  it  carries  on  commercial 
banking,  foreign  exchange,  has  safe  deposits  vaults  and  savings 
departments,  issues  travelers'  cheques  and  letters  of  credit  and 
is  generally  regarded  as  one  of  the  notably  strong  financial  insti- 
tutions of  eastern  Illinois. 

The  unwritten  law  of  the  First  National  bank  is  that  every  per- 
son, regardless  of  station,  rich  or  poor,  shall  receive  most  cordial 
attention  at  any  desk  from  that  of  the  president  down  to  the  low- 
est subordinate  and  this  rule,  established  by  the  late  J.  S.  Mc- 
Ferren, has  always  been  strictly  adhered  to. 

Resources  of  the  bank  are  well  over  the  million  and  a  quarter 
mark  and  capital  stock  in  the  institution  is  now  $100,000. 

On  the  death  of  J.  S.  McFerren,  his  son,  William  McFerren, 
became  president  of  the  First  National  Bank,  an  office  he  has  con- 
tinued to  hold  with  marked  success  up  to  the  present  day.  Other 
officials  of  the  bank  are:  D.  J.  McFerren,  Vice-President;  Roy 
Boughton,  Cashier;  J.  V.  Evans,  Assistant  Cashier  and  Ferae  B. 
Davis,  Assistant  Cashier. 

Directors  are:  E.  F.  Trego,  Mac  C.  Wallace,  William  Mc- 
Ferren, D.  J.  McFerren  and  Roy  Boughton. 


Judge"  Dale  Wallace 


77 
HOOPESTON'S  NEWSPAPERS 


It  was  the  last  quarter  of  1871.  In  the  circumnambient  at- 
mosphere surrounding  the  newly-born  village,  situated  on  the  east 
border  of  the  Grand  Prairies  there  was  the  echoing  thump,  thump, 
of  the  hammer  and  the  raucous  scratching  of  the  saw,  denoting 
extraordinary  activity,  in  fact  vigorous  haste.  Every  man  who 
could  wield  a  mechanical  tool  was  busy  from  daylight  to  dark. 
Scattered  throughout  the  dense  vegetable  growth  of  this  fertile 
region,  there  were  smiall  dwellings,  frame  storerooms  and  occa- 
sionally a  shack  of  rough  boards.  They  sprang  into  existence 
like  mushrooms  overnight.  What  was  the  cause?  Convergance 
of  two  railroads  crossing  at  right  angles ;  one  partly  completed,  the 
other  only  graded.  Everybody  keen  to  get  in  line  for  brisk  com- 
mercial activities  soon  to  follow. 

A  strange  young  man  alighted  from  the  construction  train 
and  wended  his  way  through  the  resin  weeds  to  the  apartment 
center  of  the  business  district. 

He  wore  store  clothes,  had  long  black  hair  and  a  general 
appearance  and  quiet  demeanor.  He  might  have  been  taken  for 
a  poet  or  a  preacher.  The  village  was  scattered  over  hundreds 
and  more  hundreds  of  acres  of  the  finest  prairie  land  in  Illinois. 
He  sauntered,  he  observed,  he  wondered,  if  he  had  not  made  a 
mistake.  True,  the  territory  was  ample,  the  foundation  was  in 
fact  prodigious,  but  the  superstructure  was  very,  very  meagre. 
What  to  do — what  to  do?  Observing  the  strange  biped,  wander- 
ing around  with  apparently  nothing  in  view,  the  curiosity  of  one 
pioneer  merchant  encompassed  him.  So  he  propounded  this 
query:  "Well,  what  do  you  come  here  to  do?"  A  very  reasonable, 
if  slightly  ungrammatical  question,  as  everybody  else  was  work- 
ing and  seemed  to  have  some  definite  object  in  view  in  coming  to 
the  little  hamlet  while  the  strange  man  was  merely  marking  time. 

"WTell,  my  good  friend,  I  came  here  to  establish  a  newspaper." 

There  were  no  churches,  yet. 

"God-da-mighty'  kid,  do  you  think  it  would  pay  in  this  little 
berg." 

"That  depends  on  you  and  your  contemporaries.  Would  you 
take  the  paper?" 

"Sure." 

"Would  you  advertise  your  business  in  its  columns?" 

"You  bet  I  would." 

Then  the  clock  struck  twelve,  for  the  spirit  exemplified  by 
the  first  client  was  manifested  by  all  the  others  and  in  conjunc- 
tion with  Gideon  W.  Seavey,  Dale  Wallace,  who  was  a  practical 
and  experienced  member  of  the  firm,  launched  the  North  Vermil- 
ion Chronicle  in  January,  1872,  four  months  after  the  surveyor's 
stakes  were  driven  for  the  planning  of  the  town  of  Hoopeston. 


78 

The  reason  it  was  given  the  name  of  North  Vermilion  Chronicle, 
was  because  quite  an  element  of  the  populace  was  not  friendly 
to  the  name  of  Hoopeston,  wanting  something  more  euphonious, 
more  aristocratic  and  were  agitating  the  feasibility  of  changing 
the  name.  But  as  the  two  railroads  crossed  Thomas  Hoopes'  land, 
the  companies  decided  to  honor  the  veteran  landlord  and  it  was 
named  Hoopeston. 

The  Chronicle  plant  was  located  in  the  second  story  of  Moore 
and  Brillhart's  hardware  store,  corner  Market  street  and  Thomp- 
son Avenue,  opposite  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Market  street 
park.  As  the  day  approached  for  the  first  issue  of  the  paper,  the 
little  village  citizens  became  enthusiastically  anxious  to  see  what 
;t  would  look  like  and  many  of  the  leading  ones  were  desiring  of 
owning  the  tirst  complete  copy  that  came  from  the  press.  To  be 
fair  to  all  it  was  agreed  to  offer  it  to  the  highest  bidder  at  public 
•  uction.  There  was  spirited  bidding  and  it  was  finally  sold  to 
Dr.  S.  P.  Thompson  for  the  munificent  sum  of  $32.50 — rather  a 
rrh  price  for  a  single  copy.  But  the  patriotic  doctor  said  it  was 
worth  it  and  still  has  it  in  his  possession  in  his  home  in  Craw- 
fordsville,  Indiana.  The  printing  of  the  first  edition  on  a  new 
Washington  nana  press  called  forth  some  remarks  from  Mr.  Wal- 
lace who  had  tne  job  in  hands,  that  would  not  be  permitted  in 
print  in  the  columns  of  the  family  paper. 

In  order  to  have  more  room,  the  plant  was  removed  to  a  build- 
ing almost  opposite  the  present  site  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
church  and  later  to  the  fram«  building  on  the  site  of  the  Worthen 
store.  Three  years  later  it  was  removed  to  the  basement  of  J.  S. 
McFerren's  new  First  National  bank  building,  now  the  home  of 
the  First  National  Bank.  In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Wallace  became 
sole  owner  of  the  paper,  which  he  held  until  July,  1882,  when 
he  relinquished  his  management  to  Charles 
W.  Warner.  He  established  the  Daily  Chron- 
icle in  1881. 

J.  M.  Clark,  owner  of  two  sections  of  fine 
farming  land,  west  of  the  village,  removed  to 
Hoopeston,  engaged  in  mercantile  business  and 
later  purchased  a  printing  outfit  and  establish- 
ed the  Hoopeston  Herald.  It  was  under  the 
management  of  Rev.  Haven  M.  Haff,  a  retired 
Methodist  preacher,  who  was  succeeded  by 
Billy  Spence  and  from  then  on  the  Herald  led 
a  precarious  existence  until  George  R.  Deatrich 
resurrected  it  from  an  untimely  decay.  William 


m 


!__■■■■ 
C.  W.  Warner 


Fleming  later  on  established  the  Hoopeston  News,  then  the  Arter 
Brothers  took  it  over,  then  Charles  P.  Huey  and  it  finally  yielded 
up  the  ghost.     But  the  old  Chronicle  weathered  the  storm  for 


CHESTER  A.  ALDRICH 
Editor  and  Manager  of  The  Chronicle-Herald 




UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
URBANA 


79 

nearly  fifty  years.  Then  it  got  tired  and  wanted  a  rest,  so  crawled 
into  a  comfortable  nest  by  the  side  of  the  virile  and  energetic 
Herald,  and  by  the  combination,  Hoopeston  has  the  best  news- 
paper in  the  State  of  Illinois,  population  considered. 

The  Evening  Herald,  an  offshoot  of  the  Hoopeston  Heraid, 
was  founded  in  1903  by  the  late  George  R.  Deatrich  and  was  suc- 
cessfully published  by  him  and  his  brother-in-law,  S.  A.  Barnes 
and  L.  R.  Smith.  Mr.  Deatrich,  when  again  owner  of  the  paper, 
died  in  1909  and  his  wife  and  daughter,  Miss  Natalie  Deatrich, 
became  the  publishers.  In  1910  they  sold  the  Evening  Herald  to 
Cole  Brothers,  of  Chicago,  who  six  months  later  disposed  of  their 
interests  to  Chester  A.  Aldrich  who  came  here  from  Mattoon, 
Illinois.  The  latter  has  been  owner  and  publisher  of  the  paper 
since  then  with  the  exception  of  about  five  months,  when  A.  P. 
Spencer,  now  located  at  Highland,  Illinois,  was  owner  and  publish- 
er. On  March  1,  1913,  Mr.  Aldrich  again  took  over  the  own- 
ership and  on  April  15,  1921,  bought  the  interests  of  Charles  W. 
Warner  and  the  Hoopeston  Daily  and  Weekly  Chronicle.  Mr. 
Aldrich  consolidated  the  papers  under  the  name  of  The  Chronicle- 
Herald,  daily  and  weekly. 

In  August,  1921,  a  stock  company  was  organized  with  a 
capitalization  of  $40,000,  which  took  over  the  ownership  of  the 
combined  publications  and  printing  plant  under  the  corporate 
name  of  the  Aldrich  Printing  and  Publishing  Company,  Incorporat- 
ed. The  officers  of  the  company  are:  Chester  A.  Aldrich,  Presi- 
dent, who  is  also  editor  and  general  manager,  Mac  C.  Wallace, 
Vice-President;  Daisy  B.  Mclntyre,  secretary-treasurer.  The 
stockholders  include  some  of  the  leading  citizens  and  business 
men  of  Hoopeston. 

In  September,  1924,  H.  J.  Harris,  of  Otterbein,  Indiana,  came 
to  Hoopeston  and  organized  the  Hoopeston  Evening  Times.  In 
February,  1925,  this  paper  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of 
the  Hoopeston  Evening  Times  Publishing  Company. 


80 


Business  Directory 


Attorneys 

Charles  A.  Allen,  501  Will- 
don  Building. 

Couchman  &  Couchman,  504- 
5-6  Willdon  Building. 

Dyer  &  Dyer,  408  Willdon 
Building. 

Robert  R.  Rodman,  517-18-19 
Willdon  Building. 

Charles  E.  Russell,  203  1-2 
East  Main  street. 

Automobiles 

Hoopeston  Motor  Sales  Co., 
316  East  Main  street. 

Kimberlin  Transfer,  112-14 
West  Main. 

William  McFerren  &  Co., 
21-25  East  Main. 

Ransom  &  Sims,  319  East 
Main. 

Vermilion  Auto  Company, 
Merritt  Building. 

James  Murray  &  Sons,  214 
West  Main. 

S.  &  W.  Chevrolet  Company, 
North  Market  street. 

Bakeries 

Ideal  Bakery,  102  North 
Market. 

Lyons  Bakery,  204  North 
Market. 

Banks 

First  National  Bank,  East 
Main. 

Hoopeston  National  Bank, 
East  Main. 

Barbers 

Ray  Jaynes,  103  South  Mar- 
ket. 

D.  A.  Smith,  Basement  20 1 
South  Market. 

J.  W.  Marlatt,  East  Main. 


D.  C.  Worley,  Basement  115 
East  Main. 

E.  J.  Keister,  Basement  200 
East  Main. 

Isaac  T.  Manuel,  East  Mair>. 
Rice  &  Rice,  East  Main. 

Battery  Service 

Webber's  Battery  Service, 
112  East  Main. 

William  McFerren  &  Com- 
pany, Exide  Service,  301  East 
Main. 

Willard  Battery.  Service,  221 
North  Market. 

Beauty  Shops 

Mrs.  L.  R.  Miller,  415  Will- 
don building. 

Mrs.  Jesse  Bell,  First  Na- 
tional Bank  Building. 

Chemists 

T.  C.  Watters,  511  Willdon 
Building. 

Chiropractics 
Bash  &  Bash,  509-10  Willdon 
building. 

Clothing  &  Shoes 

Frank  F.  Dornfeld  &  Co.,  207 
East  Main. 

George  E.  Evans  Co.,  228 
East  Main. 

P.  Larson  Company,  223 
East  Main. 

William  Glover,  210  East 
Main. 

The  Empire  Shoe  Store,  East 
Main  street. 

Confectioneries 

Illinois  Sugar  Bowl,  215 
East  Main  Street. 

H.  &  H.  Confectionery,  225 
East  Main. 


ROBERT  R.  RODMAN 
Attorney-at-Law 


*  miftOIS 


81 


Contractors 

N.    H.    Stokes,    910    West 
Washington  street. 

Thomas  P.  Smith,  East  Main 
street. 

Albert  Warner,  623  Thomp- 
son Avenue. 

William  Johnson,  (masonry) 
313   North   Market. 

William  Sargent,  Dice  Addi- 
tion. 

N.    E.    Weaver,     (masonry) 
861  East  Maple  street. 
Creamery 

Hoopeston    Creamery    Com- 
pany, 219  South  Market. 

Dentists 

Dr.   J.   M.  Hannell,   202   1-2 
East  Main  street. 


Dr.  J.  M.  Hannell 

Dr.  John  A.  Heaton,  First 
National  Bank  Bldg. 

Dr.  Leo  F.  Rank,  307  1-2 
East  Main  street. 

Dr.  J.  H.  Robinson,  301  Will- 
don  Building. 


Druggists 

Brothers,  226 


East 


Elliott 
Main. 

Hipke  &  Weber,  The  Rexall 
Store,  221  East  Main. 

G.  E.  Lester,  220  East  Main. 


McAllister 
East  Main. 


Pharmacy, 
Dry  Goods  Stores 


105 


^■; 


SBHAp* 


John  F.  Ost 

Hoopeston  Department  Store, 
210  South  Market. 

Ogdon's  Dry  Goods  Com- 
pany, 224  East  Main. 

Worthen's  Dry  Goods  Com- 
pany, 203  East  Main. 


B.  R.  Burton 

Burton  Dry  Goods  Company, 
202-4  East  Main. 


82 


Feed  Barns 

O'Malley's  Feed  Store,  226 
South  Bank  street. 

Musk  Feed  Barn,  201  First 
Avenue. 

Filling  Stations 

Dixie  Oil  &  Gas  Company, 
1029  West  Main. 

Standard  Oil  Company,  West 
Main. 

Roxanna  Service  Station, 
West  Main  street. 

Johnson  Oil  Co.,  East  Main. 

Florists 

E.  A.  Raasch  &  Sons,  301 
West  Main. 

Joseph  Schuler,  Dice  Addi- 
tion. 

Fire-Fighting  Equipment 

Charles  L.  Beeman,  East 
Washington  street. 

Dall  Milburn,  South  Fifth 
Street. 

Fruit  &  Vegetables 

Ogdon's  Quality  Market,  215 
South  Market. 

Fuel,  Lumber  and  Grain 

Hoopeston  Grain  &  Coal 
Company,  yards  at  North  Ele- 
vator, 427  Front  street. 

Illinois  Lumber,  Grain  & 
Coal  Company,  West  Penn. 

McGill  Coal  Company,  103 
East  Lincoln. 

Hott-Miller  Lumber  &  Coal 
Company. 

Groceries 

A.  &  P.,  East  Main. 

J.  H.  Boothe,  101  East  Main. 

Passons'  Grocery,  601  East 
Lincoln  street. 

Great  American,  East  Main. 

People's  Grocery,  312  East 
Main. 

O.  E.  Randolph,  305  East 
Main. 


S.  E.  Shaw,  419  McCracken 
Avenue. 

North  Side  Grocery,  202 
North  Market. 

J.  T.  Ogdon  &  Company,  313 
South  Second  Avenue. 

M.  L.  Slauter,  601  South 
Second  Avenue. 

Wilson  Bros.,  East  Main. 

The  Fidelity  Store,  East 
Main. 

H.  C.  Green  Store,  516  East 
Young  Avenue. 

J.  D.  Kivell,  West  Main 
street. 

Martin's  Grocery,  West  Main. 

Keister's  Store,  West  Penn. 

Hardware 

Luther  E.  Alkire,  229  East 
Main. 


Luther  E.  Alkire 


83 


A.  H.  Campbell  Company, 
Bank  street. 

Nelson  &  Fenwick,  Main 
street. 

Hotels 

Cunningham  Hotel,  102  East 
Main. 

Hoopeston  Hotel,  115  East 
Main. 

Waverly  House,  East  Penn. 

Ice 

Hoopeston  Ice  &  Cold  Stor- 
age Company. 

Insurance  &  Real  Estate 

Mac  C.  Wallace,  First  Na- 
tional Bank  Building. 

Dr.  John  A.  Heaton,  East 
Main,  Chicago  National  Life. 

Mrs.  0.  W.  Heaton,  East 
Main,  Federal  Life. 

John  Guingrich,  East  Main. 

George  W.  Duley,  First  Na- 
tional Bank  Building. 

Douglas  G.  Gilman,  203 1/2 
East  Main. 

Clarence  Lee,  First  National 
Bank  Building. 

E.  H.  Richcreek,  108  North 
Market. 

Thomas  Green,  404  Willdon. 

Heaton  Bros.,  Fourth  Floor, 
Willdon  Building. 

Jewelers 

Elliotts'  Jewelry-  Store,  309 
East  Main. 

John  Petry  Jewelry  Store, 
214  East  Main. 

Laundry 

Hand  Laundry,  213%  East 
Main  street. 

Park  Steam  Laundry,  201 
North  Market. 

Loans  and  Savings 

North    Vermilion     Loan    & 


Savings  Association,  301  East 
Main. 

Meat  Markets 

J.  J.  Long,  217  South  Mar- 
ket. 

Ogdon's  Quality  Market,  215 
South  Market. 

J.  T.  Ogdon  Co.,  313  Second 
Avenue. 

Swisher  &  Hanner,  105  West 
Main. 

Milliners 

Burton  Dry  Goods  Store. 
Empire  Shoe  Store. 
Hoopeston  Department  Store 
Mrs.  M.  H.  Seavey. 
Worthen    Dry    Goods    Com- 
pany. 

Monuments 

Hoopeston  Granite  &  Mar- 
ble Works,  115  East  Penn. 

Osteopath 

Dr.  Payson  W.  Hoyt,  312 
Willdon  Building. 

Photographers 

Johnson's  Studio,  225%  So. 
Market  Street. 

LacyV  Studio,  219i/2  East 
Main  street. 

Plumbing  &  Heating 

Carl  Anderson,  104  South 
Market. 

Frank  R.  Jarrell,  304-10  East 
Seminary  Avenue. 

A  .W.  Murray,  219  South 
Market. 

Nelson  &  Fenwick,  218  East 
Main  street. 

Poultry 

Lyons'  Poultry  House. 

Printing 

Aldrieh  Printing  &  Publish- 
ing Company,  201  East  Main. 

Knox  Printing  Company,  209 
South  Market. 

The  Times  Publishing  Com- 
pany, East  Main  street. 


84 


Physicians 

Dr.  A.  L.  Brobeck,  307  % 
East  Main. 

Dr.  A.  M.  Earel,  507-508 
Willdon  Building. 

Dr.  A.  J.  Clay,  309  Willdon 
Building. 

Dr.  Fred  E.  Earel,  202% 
East  Main  (Kline  &  Earel). 

Dr.  Ross  E.  Elvidge,  401 
Willdon  Building. 

Dr.  F.  P.  Johnson,  301 V2 
East  Main  street. 


Dr.  F.  P.  Johnson 

Dr.  Leroy  Jones,  306  Willdon 
Building. 

Dr.  R.  G.  Kline,  202  H2  East 
Main   (Kline  &  Earel.) 

Dr.  J.  C.  Moore,  404  Willdon 
Building. 

Dr.  C.  O.  Nelms,  306  Will- 
don Building. 

Dr.  L.  B.  Russell,  230%  East 
Main  street. 


Restaurants 

J.  H.  Jones,  East  Main. 
White   Kitchen,   East   Main. 
Warff  Restaurant,- East  Main 
Cottage  Inn,  opposite  Union 
Station. 

Shoe   Repairing 

Denman's  Shoe  Repair  Shop, 
221   South  Market  street. 

Taxi  Service 

Bvrd  Taxi  and  Garage,  105 
Bank  street. 

Kimperlin's  Transfer,  112- 
pany,  112  West  Main. 

Theaters 

The  Lorraine  Theater. 

The  McFerren  Opera  House. 

Tire  Shop 

Earl  Musson,  103  North 
Market  street. 

The  Tire  Company  of  Illi- 
nois, North  Market  street. 

Transfers 

The  Holmes  Transfer  &  Stor- 
age Company,  225  First  Ave- 
nue. 

Kimberlin's  Transfer,  112- 
114  West  Main  street. 

Undertakers 

P.  G.  Osborne,  212  East 
Main  street. 

Parker  &  Scott,  208  East 
street. 

Harry  H.  Hamilton,  222  East 
Main. 

Vanite  Shoppe 

The  Vanite  Shoppe,  225  So. 
Market. 

Variety  Stores 

Rusk  Variety  Store,  East 
Main  street. 

The  Mutual  Five  &  Ten 
Cent  Store,  217  East  Main. 

Conkey'a  Variety  Store,  East 
Main  street. 


Industrial  Hoopeston 


The  Illinois  Canning  Company— Hoopeston  Canning  Company — 
Sprague-Sells  Canning  Machinery  Corporation — Vermilion 
Malleable  Iron  Company — American  Can  Company — Iliff- 
Bruff  Chemical  Company — Hoopeston  Ice  &  Cold  Storage 
Company — P.  H.  Webber  Company — A.  W.  Murray  Company 
—Hoopeston  Telephone  Company — C.  I.  P.  S.  Company — C. 
&  E.  I.  Railway — Nickle  Plate  Railroad — General  Review  of 
Minor  Industries. 


It  is  the  good  fortune  of  few  towns  that  number  as  small  a 
population  as  Hoopeston  to  have  as  many  worthwhile  industrial 
enterprises  as  this  city.  Situated  in  the  heart  of  the  greatest  and 
richest  corn  growing  belt  in  the  world,  it  is  only  natural  that  these 
industrial  enterprises  should  in  a  large  measure  center  around  the 
canning  industry  and  the  making  of  machinery  for  that  industry. 
That  this  is  the  case  is  proved  conclusively  by  the  fact  that 
there  are  four  great  factories  in  Hoopeston,  allied  with  the  can- 
ning industry — The  Illinois  Canning  Company,  The  Hoopeston 
Canning  Company,  The  Sprague-Sells  Canning  Machinery  Corpo- 
ration Factory  and  a  branch  of  the  American  Can  Company. 

While  industry  necessarily  centers  around  these  concerns,  at 
the  same  time  there  are  other  and  more  diversified  industrial 
efforts  that  aid  in  keeping  the  balance  in  the  city  and  that  keep  the 
unemployment  problem  at  a  minimum  the  year  around.  Included 
among  the  major  industries  of  this  nature  are  The  Vermilion 
Malleable  Iron  Company,  The  Iliff-Bruff  Chemical  Company,  The 
P.  H.  Webber  Company,  The  Hoopeston  Ice  &  Cold  Storage  Com- 
pany, The  A.  W.  Murray  Company,  The  Central  Illinois  Public 
Service  Company  and  The  Hoopeston  Telephone  Company. 

Two  great  railroad  lines  pass  through  Hoopeston,  The  Chi- 
cago &  Eastern  Illinois  railroad  and  the  Nickle  Plate  Railroad. 
These  two  carriers  provide  ample  facilities  for  the  transporta- 


87 

tion  of  Hoopeston's  industrial  products  to  the  markets  of  the 
world.  Each  of  these  industries  is  taken  up  in  the  following  pages 
and  covered  as  fully  as  is  possible  in  order  that  a  greater  apprecia- 
tion of  their  magnitude  may  be  had,  not  only  by  citizens  of  Hoopes- 
lon,  but  by  residents  of  other  cities  to  whom  such  knowledge  may 
prove  essential. 


THE  ILLINOIS  CANNING  COMPANY 


The  first  business  enterprise  of  any  magnitude  to  be  estab- 
lished in  Hoopeston  was  the  canning  plant  by  S.  S.  McCall  in  the 
year  1875,  two  years  before  Hoopeston  was  incorporated  as  a 
city.  From  a  primitive  venture  this  factory  has  been  brought 
to  one  of  the  greatest  concerns  of  its  kind  in  the  country,  today 
canning  over  a  million  cans  of  beans  and  corn  annually. 

Stephen  S.  McCall  was  a  New  York  m.an  and  came  west  on  a 
prospecting  trip  for  a  site  in  which  to  locate  a  canning  factory. 
Arriving  in  Hoopeston  he  became  much  enthused  over  the  pros- 
pect for  the  establishment  of  such  a  factory  in  this  city.  The 
old  building  that  had  been  used  as  headquarters  for  the  Snell, 
Taylor  &  Mix  Construction  Company  was  taken  over  and  con- 
verted into  a  factory  and  operations  started.  The  venture  proved 
a  success  from  the  first  and  grew  by  leaps  and  bounds  until  it 
was  soon  commanding  attention  in  its  field. 

In  the  year  1877,  the  business  venture  was  incorporated  un- 
der the  name  of  the  Illinois  Canning  Company,  Inc.,  in  the  State 
of  Illinois,  and  this  name  has  remained  unchanged  to  the  present 
day,  although  the  business  has  passed  from  the  hands  of  the 
original  founders. 

In  the  period  between  the  year  1878,  when  the  business  was 
incorporated,  and  the  year  1902,  William  Moore  and  James  A. 
Cunningham,  two  of  Hoopeston's  pioneer  citizens  and  who  had 
been  interested  in  the  company  from  its  beginning  here,  acquired 
the  controlling  interest.  Of  later  years,  the  control  of  the  com- 
pany passed  from  these  citizens  to  the  following  officials  and  di- 
rectors, who  guide  its  destinies  at  the  present  day : 

N.  S.  Cutright,  Peoria,  Illinois,  President ;  Isaac  Miller  Ham- 
ilton, Vice-President,  Chicago,  Illinois ;  W.  A.  Miskimen,  Secre- 
tary and  Office  Manager;  R.  R.  Zook,  Farm  Manager  and  Assist- 
ant Office  Manager;  S.  B.  Cutright,  Assistant  Secretary  and 
Assistant  Treasurer.  Executive  Committee,  W.  A.  Miskimen,  R. 
R.  Zook,  S.  B.  Cutright  and  E.  M.  Webster. 

Much  of  the  product  of  the  Illinois  Canning  Company  that 
is  canned  annually,  is  grown  under  the  direct  supervision  of  its 
experts.  Thousands  of  acres  of  land  are  owned  or  leased  from 
year  to  year  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  this  city  by  the  Com- 


88 

pany  to  insure  a  standard  grade  of  corn  and  beans  coming  to  the 
factory  during  the  pack  season. 

Although  the  company  has  enjoyed  a  steady  and  continual 
growth  during  the  years  from  the  date  of  its  founding  to  the 
present  day,  perhaps  the  greatest  improvement  to  come  at  any 
time  took  place  during  the  first  six  months  of  1925,  when  follow- 
ing out  a  program  of  building  and  improvement,  decided  upon 
several  seasons  before,  and  for  which  they  had  been  quietly  pre- 
paring, the  company  increased  their  warehouse  facilities  here 
by  some  200,000  cases  as  well  as  affecting  a  much  better  arrange- 
ment of  their  factory  and  farm  facilities. 

Included  in  this  improvement  was  the  locating  of  all  farm- 
ing equipment  at  the  Brigg's  place,  a  20-acre  tract  at  Orange 
street  and  South  Second  Avenue.  A  storage  implement  house, 
40x200  feet;  a  feed  barn  60x225  feet;  a  stock  barn  74x250  feet 
were  built  on  this  tract,  which  was  surrounded  with  a  seven  foot 
chain  link  fence,  with  one  main  entrance  gate  on  Orange  street. 
A  locker  room  and  bunkhouse,  also  included  in  the  improvement, 
were  built  just  inside  of  the  gate. 

This  improvement  left  available  the  huge  building  on  the 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad,  extending  from  Washington 
to  Lincoln  street  for  storage  purposes  and  as  a  loading  ware- 
house from  which  the  product  of  the  Illinois  Canning  Factory 
can  now  be  loaded  direct  to  waiting  freight  cars  on  this  railroad, 
for  shipment  to  the  markets  of  the  world. 

Purity  and  quality  of  the  goods  canned  by  The  Illinois  Can- 
ning Company  have  been  maintained  with  a  faithfulness  and  con- 
scientious fidelity  to  their  reputation  that  has  brought  praise 
from  all  parts  of  the  nation.  The  steady  growth  of  the  business, 
one  of  the  most  important  of  this  city's  industries,  is  the  only 
testimonial  needed  to  prove  that  quality. 


THE  HOOPESTON  CANNING  COMPANY 


Three  of  Hoopeston's  pioneer  citizens,  J.  S.  McFerren,  A.  H. 
Trego  and  A.  T.  Catherwood,  in  the  year  1878,  established  The 
Hoopeston  Canning  Company,  which  was  to  prosper  and  grow 
almost  from  the  day  of  its  establishment  to  its  present  position 
as  one  of  the  largest  and  most  important  of  Hoopeston's  major 
industries. 

Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Catherwood  in  1892,  the  two  surviv- 
ing members  of  the  firm  assumed  the  entire  interests  of  the  big- 
industry  and  their  heirs  are  the  present  owners  and  operators. 
Five  years  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Catherwood,  in  1897,  J.  R.  Cuy- 
kendall,  the  efficient  processor  of  the  firm  up  to  that  time  be- 


i 

! 

■ 

' 

1 

Mnnrri^iTPirTrnr                  ^ 

: 

',  ■  ••    ■                      ' 

: 

■                                         ' 

-'                   '  ■      '*        "jffimm.                         '           '■'■■ 

: 

1 

■„   :~-J:  \'.  -  ■■••*.-.-•                              '     ;:       ■•« 

f 

| 

3EBBp^BBraB^fe.^ 

; 

i 

^"'dlSBill 

! 

\ 

t^Pl§§& L__*~— tr- 

I                                                                    ! 

? 

i.' 

J 

i 

. 

i 

H 

•                                     'o 

;' 

!S 

f 

Q 

' 

t.j 

! 

'*C 

f 

o 

: 

\ 

Cfi 

' 

\ 

VS-^ 

o 

• 

' 

33 

^ 

1                                               P3 

§ 

3 

»•*. 

3  ' 

■     | 

OQ 

. 

o 

|^^^K^V«'                          ** 

'. 

o 

'2 

; 

"O 

p 

s 

VJ 

**■'■■.    '■■*■'  ;',"^f'*- .;'";•■         ...     -, 

1 

! 

;                                                                                                   | 

i 

': 

':                                                                                                                     ; 

' 

I 

i 

! 

; 

,' 

| 

j 

■ 

9Q 

care  a  junior  partner  and  he  remains  today  affiliated  with  The 
Hoopeston  Canning  Company. 

Although  established  in  1878,  it  was  not  until  1911  that  it 
was  found  necessary  for  The  Hoopeston  Canning  Company  to  in- 
corporate. Growth  of  the  business  in  that  year,  however,  made 
this  step  advisable  and  the  industry  was  incorporated  under  the 
name  of  The  Hoopeston  Canning  Company,  and  is  at  the  present 
time  known  throughout  the  world  under  that  name. 

A.  H.  Trego  was  the  power  behind  the  throne  that  managed 
the  interests  of  The  Hoopeston  Canning  Company  and  brought  it 
to  a  position  where  it  commanded  attention  of  the  leaders  in  the 
canning  field  of  the  nation.  As  the  burden  of  his  years  became 
greater,  A.  H.  Trego  relinquished  the  major  portion  of  these 
duties  to  his  son,  Edward  F.  Trego  and  upon  the  death  of  the 
father,  Edward  F.,  became  the  president  of  the  company.  How 
well  he  has  conserved  and  multiplied  the  interests  left  in  his 
hands  by  the  company  when  his  father  relinquished  his  earthly 
duties,  is  testified  to  by  the  fact  that  The  Hoopeston  Canning 
Company  today  is  in  its  best  condition  since  its  organization  in 
1878. 

Associated  with  Edward  F.  in  the  active  management  of 
affairs  of  the  company  are  his  two  brothers,  Walter  Trego,  a 
director  of  the  Company  and  head  of  the  office  staff;  and  Gil- 
bert Trego,  Field  Manager.  The  Hoopeston  Canning  Company 
grows  by  far  the  major  portion  of  its  products,  owning  or  leas- 
ing thousands  of  acres  of  land  surrounding  Hoopeston  for  this 
purpose.  It  is  the  charge  of  these  that  falls  to  the  duty  of  Gil- 
bert Trego. 

One  of  the  greatest  honors  to  ever  come  to  a  Hoopeston  citi- 
zen was  given  Edward  F.  Trego,  head  of  The  Hoopeston  Canning 
Company,  when  at  the  Cincinnati  Convention  of  Canners,  held 
in  February,  1925,  he  was  elected  President  of  the  National  Can- 
ners' Association.  Previous  to  that  time  he  had  served  as  a  vice- 
president  of  the  national  organization  and  was  regarded  as  in 
line  for  the  position,  which  carries  with  it  vast  responsibility  and 
a  multitude  of  duties.  The  choice  of  Edward  F.  Trego,  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  National  Canners  Association,  however,  met  with  the 
approval  of  canners  throughout  the  nation,  many  of  whom  have 
expressed  themselves  as  confident  that  the  industry  during  the 
year  1925  was  to  exceed  all  previous  records  and  the  association 
prosper  correspondingly  under  his  leadership.  The  first  half  of 
the  year  has  borne  out  that  prophecy. 

The  Hoopeston  Canning  Company  in  the  years  since  its  or- 
ganization has  grown  to  many  times  the  initial  size  of  the  venture 
established  in  1878.  Improvement  has  followed  improvement 
until  the  huge  factory  buildings  today  cover  a  great  space.  Each 
improvement  has  been  made  with  an  eye  to  increasing  the  general 
efficiency  of  the  industry  as  a  whole  in  a  manner  that  commands 


91 

the  admiration  of  all  who  visit  the  factory.     Its  output  for  the 
1924  season  was  275,000  cases. 

Following  are  the  present  officials  and  directors:  President 
and  Manager,  Edward  F.  Trego;  Vice-President,  D.  J.  McFerren; 
"Secretary  and  Treasurer,  Walter  Trego;  Field  Manager,  Gilbert 
Trego.  Directors:  E.  F.  Trego,  J.  R.  Cuykendall,  William  Mc- 
Ferren, D.  J.  McFerren  and  Walter  Trego, 


THE  SPRAGUE-SELLS  CORPORATION 


This  industry  is  another  of  those  that  center  around  the 
tanning  industry  of  the  nation  and  in  size  and  degree  of  propor- 
tion among  the  leaders,  not  only  in  Hoopeston,  but  in  the  entire 
United  States. 

Organized  and  established  in 

Hoopeston  in  the  year  1898,  by 
Daniel  G.  Trench,  the  Sprague 
Canning  Machinery  Company  for 
many  years  was  one  of  Hoopes- 
ton's  major  industries  that  com- 
manded nation-wide  attention.  In 
his  lifetime  Daniel  G.  Trench  ac- 
ccrrjplished  things  big  in  the  de- 
velopment and  manufacture  of  can- 
ning equipment  of  various  kinds 
and  was  a  dominant  factor  in  the 
business  that  was  known  here  as 
the  Sprague  Canning  Machinery 
Company. 

in  the  year  1923  and  the 
month  of  October  came  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  organization  of 
the  S'prague-Sells  Corporation,  a 
joining  of  the  names  of  two  of  the 
largest  and  most  widely  known 
canning  machinery  manufacturers 
in  the  country,  an  event  that  was 
to  mean  much  to  industrial  Hoop- 
eston. 

The  assets  of  the  Sprague 
Canning  Machinery  Company  were  taken  over  by  the  Sprague- 
Sells  Corporation  at  that  time  and  Ogden  S.  Sells,  President  and 
General  Manager  came  to  Hoopeston  to  make  his  home.  The 
Peerless  Husker  Company,  of  Buffalo,  New  York,  owned  and  oper- 
ated by  the  Sells  interests  up  to  this  time,  continues  to  function 
as  a  separate  plant  of  the  corporation,  although  general  sales 


Ogden  S.  Sells 


92 

offices  for  both  the  Peerless  Husker  Company  and  the  Sprague- 
Sells  Canning  Machinery  Company  were  combined  at  Chicago.  The^ 
contact  between  the  two  firms  is  through  the  advertising,  sales 
and  service  work,  although  with  the  control  of  both  centered  in 
the  Sells  brothers,  Ogden  S.,  Millar  W.,  and  Neal  S.,  the  closest 
eo-operation  has  been  effected. 

The  general  sales  offices  of  the  Sprague-Sells  Corporation  are 
located  in  Hoopeston  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  Presi- 
dent, Ogden  S.  Sells. 

With  the  taking  over  of  the  Sprague  Canning  Machinery 
Company  hy  The  Sprague-Sells  Canning  Machinery  Corporation 
and  its  continuance  under  that  name,  signs  of  increased  activity 
at  the  plant  in  Hoopeston  soon  became  apparent. 

In  the  two  years  intervening  since  the  merger,  the  business 
of  the  corporation  has  been  greatly  increased.  Recognized  as 
among  the  most  progressive  in  the  nation  at  the  time  of  the  con- 
solidation, the  Sprague-Sells  Corporation  today  is  conceded  to 
be  the  leader  in  the  making  of  canning  machinery  in  the  nation, 

A  significant  fact  that  cannot  be  overlooked  and  that  will 
give  some  idea  of  the  size  of  the  industry  is  that  the  payroll 
in  Hoopeston  averages  better  than  $2,000  per  day.  Two  hundred 
and  sixty  men  and  five  women  are  employed  at  the  present  time, 
the  greatest  number  in  the  history  of  the  industry  here. 

At  the  national  convention  of  canners  held  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
m  February,  1925,  The  Sprague-Sells  Corporation  and  the  Peer- 
less Husker  Company  had  the  largest  exhibit  of  machinery  of 
any  company  in  the  nation.  Not  only  was  their  exhibit  the  larg- 
est, but  it  included  more  new  types  cf  machines  developed  and 
marks  of  progress  in  the  canning  machinery  field  than  any  other 
exhibit.  Included  among  these  were  six  machines  entirely  new 
to  the  trade. 

The  six  new  machines  developed  at  the  factory  during  the 
past  year  are  the  Sprague-Sells  Elevator  Boot;  the  Sprague-Sells 
Class  Type  Pea  Washer  No.  2 ;  the  Sprague-Sells  Wood  Roll  Inspec- 
tion Table  or  Conveyor;  the  Sprague-Sells  Chainless  Inspection 
Table;  the  Smith  Continuous  Agitating  Cooker  and  Cooler,  and 
the  Gardner  Svruper  and  Drainer. 

The  Smith  Continuous  Agitating  Cooker  and  Cooler  is  a  re- 
vamping of  the  past  cooker  ideas  of  this  Company  employing  the 
round  boiler  shell  body  which  is  so  successful  as  a  distributor  and 
container  of  heat  and  permits  a  great  rigidity  of  construction. 
Its  high  end  discharge  allows  a  very  heavy  body  of  water  to  be 
carried  for  water  cooking  and  a  very  large  body  of  water  carried 
for  cooling. 

The  Gardner  Syruper  and  Drainer  represents  about  the  last 
word  in  development  of  fruit  handling  machinery  for  the  fancy 
fruit  packer.  The  Drainer  travels  the  can  practically  around  a 
complete  circle  in  an  inverted  position,  allowing  all  the  water  to 


94 

drain  off  the  fruit  so  that  the  cut-out  degree  of  the  syrup  will 
be  the  same  as  when  introduced.  Their  quick  acting,  non-bruis- 
ing valve  will  handle  Bartlett  pears,  which  are  perhaps,  the 
tenderest  of  all  fruits  that  require  syruping. 

The  Sprague-Sells  Pea  Washer  No.  2  is  constructed  along  the 
general  principles  of  the  No.  1  Pea  Washer,  only  the  pan  is  wider 
and  the  machine  has  greater  capacity.  It  is  supplied  with  three 
screens  of  different  perforations  so  that  when  operating  same  the 
screens  can  be  changed  very  quickly  for  the  various  sizes  of  peas 
being  run  over  the  same.  All  that  it  is  necessary  to  do  to  change 
the  screen  is  to  catch  hold  of  two  handles,  push  the  screen  to  one 
side  and  lift  it  out  of  the  oscillating  frame,  replacing  the  new 
screen  in  the  same  rqanner.    This  can  be  done  almost  instantly. 

The  Sprague-Selh  Elevator  Boot  is  something  entireb  differ- 
ent from  any  type  of  boot  put  out  before.  It  is  small  and  com- 
pact, and  has  an  arrangement  of  pockets  that  will  not  crush  the 
peas. 

The  Wood  Roller  Inspection  Conveyor  is  built  along  the  gen- 
eral lines  of  the  company's  iron  roll  table  of  1924,  with  the  ex- 
ception that  a  4  1-2  inch  diameter  wood  roll  is  used.  This  gives 
a  greater  spacing  between  the  center  of  the  rolls,  which  is  an  ad- 
vantage in  turning  large  tomatoes,  or  other  products  of  large 
diameter. 

The  Sprague-Sells  Improved  Pulper  is  the  result  of  a  few 
machines  sent  out  experimentally  last  year.  It  embodies  the  good 
points  of  the  Sprague-Lowe  Pulper  in  addition  to  other  advantag- 
es, particularly  the  fact  that  the  screen  forms  a  complete  cylin- 
der.   This  gives  one  the  benefit  of  the  paddles  on  the  inside. 

The  Chainless  Inspection  Table  is  a  development  of  the  last 
two  or  three  years,  but  was  shown  at  Cincinnati  for  the  first 
time.  It  consists  of  a  large  nunlber  of  wooden  flights  resting 
en  cams,  all  of  which  are  fastened  to  two  horizontal  shafts.  This 
arrangement  gives  the  flights  a  wave  motion  and  turn  over  any 
product  on  the  table,  making  it  very  easy  to  inspect. 

Older  models  of  the  company  on  which  fundamental  improve- 
ments have  been  made  were  the  Giant  Mixer,  the  Six  Cylinder 
Corn  Cooker  Filler,  the  Picking  Table,  the  Lowe  Type  Finisher, 
the  M.  &  S.  Gallon  Filler,  and  the  Peerless  Corn  Cutter. 

The  Peerless  Corn  Cutter  has  been  redesigned  so  as  to  drive 
from  a  line-shaft  parallel  with  the  length  of  the  building  or  cut- 
ter room ;  its  length  reduced  and  the  machine  generally  refined 
and  made  even  more  compact  than  in  the  past.  It  is  perhaps  the 
closest  built  piece  of  canning  machinery  as  yet  developed  for  the 
operation  of  a  canner  in  which  maght  be  called  preparatory  work, 
as  the  closeness  of  the  workmanship  together  with  the  fineness 
of  the  finish  has  called  forth  many  compliments  from  everyone 
who  has  seen  the  machine. 


95 

The  Sprague-Sells  Giant  Mixer  has  the  added  improvements 
this  year  of  a  double  brine  tank  of  larger  capacity,  the  drive  of 
larger  capacity,  the  drive  bracket  lowered  to  make  the  drive  pul- 
ley more  accessible,  the  steam  pipes  brought  in  at  the  side  of 
the  mixer  below  the  corn  line. 

The  Sprague-Sells  Picking  Table  this  year  is  put  out  with  a 
friction  clutch  pulley  and  a  metal  discharge  hopper,  in  addition 
to  some  minor  changes  in  its  construction. 

The  Sprague-Sells  Finisher  (Lowe  Type)  has  a  m(ajor  im- 
provement in  the  screen.  This  is  an  all  metal  screen  with 
a  margin  around  the  edges  where  the  break  comes,  which  results 
in  doubling  its  life.  An  additional  improvement  is  in  the  method 
of  holding  the  screen  and  the  residue  discharge. 

The  Sprague-Sells  Gallon  Filler  is  now  equipped  with  a  non- 
ean-no  fill  attachment. 

Other  machinery  that  is  made  by  the  Sprague-Sells  and  Peer- 
less Husker  Co.,  include  the  Sprague-Sells  Model  No.  5  Cutter, 
Sprague-Sells  Slim  Knife  Grinder,  Sprague-Sells  No.  7  Silker, 
Sprague-Sells  Cuykendall  Mixer,  Sprague-Sells  Glass  Type  No. 
1  Washer,  Sprague-Sells  Conveyor  (glass  type),  Sprague-Sells 
Blancher,  the  Sprague-Sells  No.  1  Incline  Scalder,  Sprague-Sells 
Corer  (Morgan  Type),  Sprague-Sells  Hand  Pack  Filler,  the 
Sprague-Sells  Pumpkin  Cutter  (Geneva  Type),  Sprague-Sells  Coil 
<Xowe  Type),  Sprague-Sells  Sanitary  Can  Washer,  Sprague-Sells 
Filler  (Schmidt  Type),  Sprague-Sells  Cleaner  (Whitehead  Type), 
Sprague-Sells  Brine  Tank  with  Stirrer  and  Coil,  Sprague-Sells  Pea 
Washer  (Olney  Type),  Sprague-Sells  Aero  Washer,  Sprague-Sells 
Corn  Pump  (Viking  Type),  Peerless  Husker,  Peerless  Rehusker, 
Peerless  Corn  Washer,  Peerless  Tomato  Washer,  Peerless  six- 
valve  Pulp  Filler,  Peerless  Twelve-Syruper,  Peerless  Exhauster, 
Peerless  Corn  Trimmer,  Peerless  Resilker,  and  and  th  following 
models ;  Sprague-Sells  Corn  Silk  Brusher,  the  Sprague-Sells  8-disc 
Exhaust  and  the  Sprague  Sells  Cleaner  (Gibson  Type). 


No  attempt  to  give  the  history  of  the  Sprague-Sells  Corpora- 
tion or  of  the  Sprague  Canning  Machinery  Company  could  be  com- 
plete without  especial  mention  of  the  name  of  Thomas  Martin, 
now  Superintendent  of  the  factory  of  the  Sprague-Sells  Corpora- 
tion in  Hoopeston.  In  the  interim  between  the  time  of  the  death 
of  Daniel  G.  Trench  and  the  merger  effected  in  1923,  Mr.  Mar- 
tin was  the  head  of  the  Sprague  Company  in  Hoopeston,  a  task 
he  filled  with  a  success  far  beyond  the  average.  With  the  effect- 
ing of  the  consolidation  he  was  retained  by  the  Sprague-Sells 
Corporation  in  the  present  position  of  responsibility  he  holds, 
which  in  itself  is  a  testimonial  to  his  knowledge  of  the  business. 


96 
THE  VERMILION  MALLEABLE  IRON  COMPANY 


The  Vermilion  Malleable  Iron  Company  is  one  of  the  five  in- 
dustries which  are  classified  in  the  major  division  of  those  oper- 
ating in  this  city.  This  business  was  first  organized  under  the 
name  of  the  Hoopeston  Malleable  Foundry  Company,  and  was 
financed  by  local  capital,  in  the  year  1907.  At  that  time  there 
was  built  a  foundry  building  and  an  annealing  plant.  These  two 
buildings  yet  remain  and  form  the  nucleus  of  the  present  plant. 

The  original  company  failed  at  the  time  of  the  panic  of  1903 
and  the  plant  lay  idle  for  some  years,  until  it  was  purchased  by  the 
present  owners. 

In  the  fall  of  1912,  the  plant  came  to  the  notice  of  Chicago 
capitalists,  who  shortly  thereafter  purchased  the  property  from 
the  receivers  of  the  previous  bankrupt  organization.  At  that 
t;me  the  plant  had  been  laying  idle  for  two  years  or  more  and 
consisted  only  of  the  two  original  buildings  and  the  brick  building 
which  is  still  used  by  the  present  company  as  a  general  office. 

The  present  company,  known  as  the  Vermilion  Malleable  Iron 
Company,  was  then  incorporated  and  formed  with  Mr.  Fred  A. 
Poor,  of  Chicago,  as  President.  The  same  organization  still  oper- 
ates the  foundry  business,  although  the  plant  has  more  than 
doubled  in  the  capacity  of  output  during  the  past  ten  years. 

The  productive  capacity  of  the  company  has  been  increased 
from  2,500  tons  to  a  present  output  of  5,000  to  6,000  tons  per 
year.  During  the  last  ten  years  the  number  of  employes  has  been 
more  than  double  over  the  number  of  persons  employed  by  the 
original  company.  The  payroll  of  the  company  averages  better 
than  $1,000  per  day. 

During  the  past  year,  (1924)  many  improvements  have  been 
made  in  the  factory  and  plant  as  a  whole.  While  these  have  not 
been  of  the  revolutionary  or  sensational  type,  they  have  great h 
added  to  the  value  of  the  property. 

The  Vermilion  Malleable  Iron  Company  produces  only  a  high- 
rlass  malleable  iron,  known  as  "Certified  Malleable  Iron,"  that 
is  to  say,  the  malleable  castings  are  certified  as  to  quality,  strength 
and  e]ongation  bv  th»  American  Malleable  Castings  Association, 
and  the  entire  manufacturing  process  is  conducted  under  the  in- 
fection of  that  Association.  Certified  malleable  iron  is  around 
50  per  cent  stronger  than  the  ordinary  malleable  product.  It 
approaches  very  closely  to  steel  and  has  surplanted  to  a  great 
degree  many  parts  formerly  made  from  steel  castings. 

The  officials  of  the  Vermilion  Malleable  Iron  Company  at  pres- 
ent, (1925),  are  as  follows: 

President,  F.  A.  Poor;  Vice-President,  P.  W.  Moore;  Onerat- 
ing  Vice-resident,  F.  C.  Moore;  Secretary,  H.  C.  Holloway;  Treas- 
urer, F.  A.  Preston;  General  Manager,  R.  W.  J.  Harris. 


< 

ft 


0 

ft 


o 

cr 

o 


(0 

to 


cr 
ep 

3 


98 
THE  AMERICAN  CAN  COMPANY 


Classifed  as  another  of  Hoopeston's  major  industries,  the  Am- 
erican Can  Company  is  another  of  those  industrial  enterprises  of 
the  city  which  center  around  the  canning  business.  Millions  of  tin 
cans,  m^any  of  which  find  a  ready  market  at  the  two  great  Can- 
ning factories  here,  The  Illinois  Canning  Company  and  The  Hoop- 
eston Canning  Company,  are  manufactured  at  the  plant  of  the 
American  Can  Company  every  year. 

The  Hoopeston  plant  of  the  American  Can  Company  is  a 
branch  of  the  great  national  corporation  bearing  that  name,  known 
from  coast  to  coast  and  from  the  Canadian  border  to  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  There  is  scarcely  a  state  in  the  union  in  which  tributary 
corporations  and  plants  are  not  located. 

With  improvements  completed  during  the  early  part  of  1925 
the  plant  of  the  American  Can  Company  in  Hoopeston  is  the 
greatest,  insofar  as  floor  space  goes,  of  the  properties  of  the  com- 
pany in  the  nation.  Two  great  additions,  one  adjoining  the 
west  end  of  the  factory  here  and  the  other  the  east  end  were  built 
during  the  first  six  months  of  1925  and  utilized  for  the  storage 
of  tin  cans  for  the  first  time  this  year.  Increase  of  the  storage 
capacity  at  the  plant  relieved  congested  conditions  in  other  parts 
of  the  factory  to  a  great  extent,  making  it  possible  for  the  iactory 
to  actually  manufacture  many  thousand  more  cans  each  year  and 
not  only  to  manufacture  them,  but  giving  a  suitable  place  for 
their  storage  until  they  are  sent  from  the  factory  to  the  canners 
of  the  nation,  who  use  these  products. 

The  plant  of  the  American  Can  Company  in  Hoopeston  is  un- 
der the  direct  control  of  the  executive  board  and  officials  of  the 
great  corporation  who  retain  general  offices  and  headquarters  in 
New  York  City.  The  Hoopeston  plant  is  under  the  charge  of  Wil- 
liam Beggs,  General  Superintendent,  who  acts  as  the  company's 
liasson  between  local  affairs  and  the  general  offices  in  New  York 
City. 

The  gradual  growth  of  the  plant  of  the  American  Can  Com- 
pany in  this  city  to  its  present  position  of  prominence  is  the  story 
of  the  growth  of  Hoopeston  and  its  canning  industries.  Each 
year  as  the  city  has  grown  and  as  other  industries  have  grown 
correspondingly,  the  plant  of  the  American  Can  Company  has  been 
expanded  to  meet  that  growth.  The  fact  that  the  great  corpora- 
tion believes  sufficiently  in  Hoopeston  to  make  additions  to  their 
property  here,  that  make  the  plant  the  greatest  in  actual  floor 
space  of  any  of  their  properties  in  the  country  j^a.tesi.i,m^niaJ^to 
the  soundness  of  the  industrial  future  of  the  city  that  is  of  untold 
value  to  Hoopeston, 


99 
THE  1LIFF-BRUFF  CHEMICAL  COMPANY 


The  magic  of  one  of  the  world's  oldest  and  most  interesting 
professions  enters  into  the  products  of  the  Uiff-Bruff  Chemical 
Company,  established  in  Hoopeston  in  the  year  1915  by  Ellsworth 
Iliff  and  Milton  C.  Bruff. 

"Snow  White  Phosphate,"  that  in  turn  goes  into  the  make- 
up of  a  thousand  products  of  food  is  manufactured  in  wholesale 
quantities  by  The  Uiff-Bruff  Company,  considered  as  one  of 
Hoopeston's  most  substantial  and  growing  major  industrial  enter- 
prises. 

Other  products  of  the  field  of  chemistry  are  also  manufac- 
tured by  The  Uiff-Bruff  Company,  which  each  year  since  its  estab- 
lishment in  Hoopeston,  has  taken  a  step  forward  in  the  ranks  of 
such  industries  in  the  entire  nation. 

Plans  of  the  company  in  the  future  to  utilize  the  waste 
material  from  the  making  of  Snow  White  Phosphate,  by  the  manu- 
facture of  chemical  by-products,  announced  early  in  the  year  1925, 
are  going  forward  at  the  present  time.  In  the  test  laboratory  of 
the  plant,  experiments  are  going  forward  that  are  expected  to  cul- 
minate in  the  placing  of  other  products  on  the  world  market  by 
The  Uiff-Bruff  Company  in  quantities  that  will  further  associate 
their  name  with  those  of  the  leaders  in  the  chemical  industry  of 
the  nation. 

The  Uiff-Bruff  is  considered  among  the  most  progressive  of 
Hoopeston's  industrial  concerns,  affording  employment  to  many 
men  that  are  well  paid  the  year  around. 

The  scientific  nature  of  the  chemical  industry  makes  any  de- 
scription of  the  processes  and  products  manufactured  impossible 
to  any  person  except  a  chemist,  and  therefore  none  is  attempted. 


THE  HOOPESTON  ICE  AND  COLD  STORAGE  COMPANY 


Incorporated  on  September  11,  1907,  The  Hoopeston  Ice  & 
Cold  Storage  Company  is  one  of  Hoopeston's  substantial  and  grow- 
ing industrial  enterprises.  Fred  Park,  Louis  A.  Michels  and  Ralph 
Parks  were  the  original  incorporators,  stock  being  valued  at  $16,- 
000.  The  year  following  the  incorporation,  1908,  J.  V.  Evans,  now 
assistant  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank,  took  over  the  inter- 
ests of  Louis  A.  Michels  in  the  concern,  and  took  charge  of  the 
office. 

Steam  and  condensed  water  methods  of  producing  ice  were 
used  by  the  company  until  the  year  1919,  when  the  plant  was 


100 

greatly  improved  and  electricity  installed.  By  use  of  electricity 
the  company  has  been  enabled  to  furnish  residents  of  Hoopeston 
with  an  excellent  product,  one  which  compares  favorably  with 
that  of  any  other  ice  manufacturing  concern  in  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois. Use  of  electricity  has  also  made  possible  the  maintaining  of 
a  low  rate  to  Hoopeston  consumers  considering  the  quality  of  the 
product  produced. 

The  Hoopeston  Ice  &  Cold  Storage  Company  has  a  capacity 
of  twenty  tons  of  ice  per  day  and  this  capacity  is  taxed  to  the  lim- 
it by  demands  for  the  product.  Improvements  in  the  plant  of  the 
Company  during  the  past  year  have  been  numerous,  new  machin- 
ery being  installed,  etc.,  that  will  in  the  future  take  care  of  the 
growing  demand. 

Present  officers  of  the  company  are:  Fred  Park,  president; 
Ralph  Parks,  vice-president;  Nellie  Brougher,  secretary  and  J.  V. 
Evans,  treasurer. 


THE  P.  H.  WEBBER  COMPANY 


Established  in  Hoopeston  in  June,  1915.  the  P.  H.  Webber 
Company  has  grown  to  be  considered  one  of  Hoopeston's  vital  in- 
dustries, that  each  year  is  commanding  a  larger  share  of  patron- 
age throughout  the  nation.  P.  H.  Webber  and  Frank  Calkins  were 
the  original  founders  of  the  P.  H.  Webber  Company,  Mr.  Calkins 
remaining  affiliated  with  it  until  1917,  when  his  interests  were 
purchased  by  Mr.  Webber  and  he  retired  from  the  firm. 

Much  of  the  romance  of  business 
developed  from  the  brain  of  an  in- 
ventor to  a  commanding  position  in  the 
markets  of  the  world,  and  from  the 
hope  and  dream  of  one  man  to  a  flour- 
ishing and  successful  business,  is  con- 
tained in  the  story  of  the  P.  H.  Web- 
ber Company. 

The  manufacture  of  shock  absorb- 
ers of  the  double  arm  type,  the  inven- 
tion of  P.  H.  Webber,  and  recognized 
as  the  best  type  of  shock  absorber  in 
the  country  by  experts  to  whom  it  is 
known  under  the  trade  name  of  the 
Ralph  Webber  w    &  c    gh(  ck  Absorber,  is  the  prin- 

cipal product  of  the  company  today. 

A  patent  was  applied  for  on  his  invention  by  Mr.  Webber  in 
1914  and  it  was  in  the  battle  that  grew  over  the  issuing  of  the 
patent  that  much  of  the   trouble  experienced  by  the  company 


101 

'originated.  This  patent  was  issued  in  triplicate,  one  to  Mr.  Web- 
ber, one  to  the  H.  &  D.  Company,  at  Crawfordsville,  Indiana,  and 
one  to  a  Decatur  company.  Manufacture  of  the  shock  absorber 
was  started  by  all  three  concerns  and  an  inevitable  price  war  re- 
sulted. Various  changes  followed,  the  Allith-Prouty  Company 
51I  Danville  securing-  a  lease  from  the  Indiana  concern  for  the 
manufacture  of  the  product  and  later  relinquishing  the  lease  to 
•a  Monticello,  Illinois  concern.  The  Allith-Prouty  Company  then 
made  an  agreement  with  the  P.  H.  Webber  Company  to  continue 
manufacturing  the  shock  absorber  under  a  royalty  agreement. 
This  agreement  is  still  in  effect  and  that  it  is  a  success  is  attest- 
ed to  by  the  properous  and  growing  condition  of  the  Hoopeston 
industry. 

Three  years  ago,  manufacture  and  sale  of  another  product 
was  started  by  the  P.  H.  Webber  Company — that  of  replacement 
spring  shackle  bolts.  These  are  made  in  25  different  sizes  by 
the  P.  H.  Webber  Company  for  sale  to  the  garage  trade  and  to 
jobbers.  One  cabinet  of  these  bolts  made  by  the  Hoopeston  con- 
cern, contains  an  assortment  of  113  pieces  and  still  another  as- 
sortment for  use  of  smaller  concerns  is  made  whereby  33  of 
the  replacement  spring  shackle  bolts  are  mounted  on  a  board  for 
til-play  purposes.  These  articles  are  of  great  value  to  garage  men 
for  repair  work  and  are  meeting  an  increasing  demand,  further 
building  up  the  prestige  and  business  of  the  P.  H.  WTebber  Com- 
pany. 

During  the  year  1924,  the  P.  H.  Webber  Company  manufac- 
tured 20,000  sets  of  shock  absorbers,  which  will  give  some  idea 
of  the  vast  business  that  they  carry  on  here.  The  making  of  the 
replacement  spring  shackle  bolt  is  also  fast  being  developed  from 
a  sideline  to  a  major  product  of  the  company. 

Present  officers  of  the  company  are  as  follows :  P.  H.  Webber, 
president;  I.  F.  Webber,  vice-president;  R.  S.  Webber,  secretary 
and  treasurer. 


THE  A.  W.  MURRAY  COMANY 


On  March  4,  1904,  A.  W.  Murray  and  James  Fenwick  estab- 
lished a  plumbing  and  heating  business  under  the  firm  name  of 
Murray  and  Fenwick.  This  business  was  established  in  the 
building  now  occupied  by  the  Crescent  Meat  market  and  the  shop 
was  located  on  the  second  floor.  Mr.  M.  V.  Brickey  and  Sons 
owned  and  operated  a  hardware  store  on  the  first  floor  of  this 
building.  They  had  a  complete  set  of  tinner's  tools  on  the  second 
floor  but  having  no  one  to  work  for  them,  they  rented  this  shop 
with  the  tools  for  a  period  of  one  year.  Not  having  money  enough 
to  purchase  their  own  tools,  it  was  decided  to  accept  this  propo- 


1C2 

sition  and  establish  the  business  in  this  iranner.  The  method  of 
transportation  for  merchandise,  pipe,  fittings  and  so  forth,  was 
by  using  a  push  cart  for  which  was  paid  50c  rental  per  month. 
They  didn't  even  own  the  cart.  The  motive  power  was  furnished 
by  one  A.  W.  Murray,  who  pushed  the  cart  up  Main  street  and 
Market  street  and  the  various  alleys  in  the  outlaying  districts  of 
the  city  of  Hoopeston  at  that  time,  delivering  and  hauling  the 
pipe,  fittings  and  so  forth,  from  job  to  job.  Not  infrequently, 
he  hauled  a  complete  bathroom  outfit  in  one  load,  consisting  of  a 
bathtub,  lavatory,  closet  and  sink.  At  that  time  there  was  only 
one  automobile  in  the  city,  that  was  owned  by  J.  S.  McFerren 
and  when  it  ran,  which  was  not  very  often,  the  speed  that  it  ob- 
tained was  no  greater  than  that  of  the  push  cart,  so  that  they 
really  had  nothing  to  worry  about,  so  far  as  being  bumped  by 
an  a  itomobile,  while  pushing  the  cart  down  the  streets. 

The  business  continued  at  this  shop  for  one  year,  after  which 
it  grew  so  that  it  was  necessary  to  seek  larger  quarters,  and  too, 
it  was  desired  to  get  a  shop  on  the  ground  floor.  Walter  John- 
son constructed  the  building  now  occupied  by  the  Sanitary  Dry 
Cleaners  and  the  Denman  Shoe  Repair  Shop  and  The  Murray 
Company  rented  the  part  of  the  building  now  occupied  by  the 
Sanitary  Dry  Cleaning  Co.  This  gave  a  large  room  with  better 
light  and  first  floor  facilities,  where  the  firm  could  have  a  small 
show  room  and  office  space.  The  company  continued  here  until 
in  1907  when  A.  W.  Murray  purchased  the  interest  owned  by 
James  Fenwick  and  continued  it  under  the  name  of  Arthur  W. 
Murray  Co.  After  remaining  in  this  building  for  a  year  or  two 
longer,  it  was  again  found  necessary  to  seek  more  room.  The 
building  now  occupied  by  John  Long's  Meat  market  and  grocery 
store  was  available  and  was  rented  from  Mrs.  Lillian  Warner.  On 
moving  the  office,  merchandise  and  fixtures  in  this  building,  it  was 
found  that  the  firm  had  considerably  more  commodious  quarters 
and  plenty  of  room  to  transact  business.  It  continued  here  until 
1912,  when  the  company  were  again  forced  to  find  more  room. 
Not  wishing  to  give  up  the  building,  because  of  having  a  Market 
street  location  and  good  show  room  possibilities,  it  was  decided 
to  rent  the  rear  end  of  the  lot,  on  which  now  stands  the  I.  E. 
Merritt  building.  On  this  lot  was  constructed  a  one-story  frame 
building,  50x50  feet  in  size,  connecting  this  building  up  with  a 
run  way  which  was  convered  to  protect  men  going  back  and  forth 
between  the  buildings  and  then  all  tools,  merchandise  and  shop 
equipment  was  moved  to  this  building.  This  gave  considerably 
more  room  in  the  Warner  Building  and  the  firm  constructed  a 
very  up-to-date  show  room  in  the  front  party.  The  stock  room 
occupied  the  rear  of  the  building,  while  all  of  the  shop  was  was 
done  in  the  frame  building  in  the  rear.  The  firm  continued  using 
these  two  buildings  until  in  1914  when  it  was  decided  they  could 
do  much  better  if  the  entire  business  could  be  combined  under 


103 

one  roof,  having  a  first  and  second  floor.  This  matter  was  taken 
up  with  Mr.  Merritt,  who  owned  the  lot  on  which  the  one-story 
building  was  located  and  he  decided  to  erect  a  building  suitable 
for  the  needs,  under  a  five-year  lease,  and  work  was  immediately 
started  on  this  building  and  the  firm  was  given  occupancy  in 
the  month  of  May  or  June  in  1924.  They  were  doing  a  consider- 
able amount  of  business  at  this  time  and  it  was  not  long  before  it 
was  found  that  they  were  using  every  available  inch  of  the  build- 
ing. 

In  the  month  of  February,  1915,  a  very  disastrous  ex- 
plosion and  fire  occurred  which  entirely  wrecked  the  building 
and  burned  all  stock,  merchandise,  books  and  everything,  leaving 
no  records  whatever.  This  fire  and  explosion  was  caused  by 
gasoline.  However,  after  the  debris  had  been  cleared  away,  it 
was  found  that  some  of  the  tools  and  fittings  were  in  fairly  good 
shape,  and  these  were  gathered  together  and  the  second  floor 
of  the  building  that  the  firm  now  owns  was  rented.  This  build- 
ing was  then  occupied  by  the  Ransom  and  Sims  Automobile  Co. 
The  Ransom  and  Sims  people  very  kindly  consented  to  the  Mur- 
ray Company  using  their  second  "loor  until  the  building  could  be 
rebuilt  on  the  site  of  the  fire.  A  shop  was  established  in  this 
building  and  an  office  on  the  fifth  floor  of  the  Willdon  Building, 
Mr.  Merritt  immediately  re-built  the  shop  building  and  the  Mur- 
ray Co.  was  again  located  at  this  place  in  the  late  Spring  of  1917. 
They  continued  in  business  here  with  shop  and  office,  until  No- 
vember of  1921,  when  it  was  decided  to  ermbark  in  the  hardware 
business,  buying  out  Mr.  Luther  Alkire,  assuming  his  rentals 
and  lease  on  the  Warner  building  on  the  corner,  in  which  the 
Alkire  Hardware  store  is  now  located,  also  buying  his  entire  shop 
equipment.  The  firm  continued  to  operate  the  hardware  store, 
and  cleaning  up  the  rear  building,  making  some  extensive  repairs 
to  the  room  itself  as  well  as  building  a  new  plate  glass  front 
along  South  Market  street,  moved  their  office  from  the  Merritt 
Building  to  this  location,  where  they  had  a  show  room  and  office, 
leaving  the  shop  and  warehouse  in  the  Merritt  building.  They 
conducted  the  plumbing,  heating,  sheet  metal  and  hardware  busi- 
ness until  February,  1923,  at  which  time  it  was  decided  to  sell 
the  hardware  business,  continuing  plumbing,  heating  and  sheet 
"metal  work.  This  was  done  and  Mr.  Alkire  again  became  owner 
of  the  hardware  store.  Although  The  Murray  firm  continued  to 
use  the  rear  of  the  hardware  building  as  an  office  and  show  room, 
it  was  found  mpst  inconvenient  to  have  the  office  in  one  building 
and  the  shop  and  warehouse  in  another,  and  it  was  decided  it 
would  be  necessary  to  confine  the  business  under  one  roof.  In 
the  latter  part  of  January,  1924,  the  firm  bought  the  0.  D.  Bar- 
rett building,  which  is  now  occupied,  making  extensive  repairs 
so  that  it  would  give  practically  three  floors,  and  in  April,  1924, 
moved  the  entire  equipment*  showroom,  shop  and  warehouse  to 


104 

this  building.  The  business  has  continued  to  increase  and  re- 
cently it  was  found  ncessary  to  purchase  a  warehouse  and  garage. 
For  this  purpose  the  firm  secured  the  brick  building  on  the  rear 
end  of  the  lot  belonging  to  Mr.  Ed.  Goldsbery.  This  new  build- 
mg,  after  having  been  put  in  first-class  shape  is  adequate  to  store 
the  four  trucks,  as  well  as  much  new  merchandise  which  comes  in 
from  time  to  time. 

The  volume  of  the  business  in  1904  was  $10,000  annually. 
This  volume  has  increased  steadily  from  year  to  year  until  The 
Murray  Company  are  now  doing  from  a  $140,000  to  $175,000 
business  annually.  The  business  is  not  incorporated,  but  at  the 
present  time  is  a  partnership  consisting  of  Arthur  W.  Murray  and 
Clarence  W.  Murray.  This  partnership  was  established  in  1923. 
The  firm,  however,  operates  under  the  name  of  the  Arthur  W, 
Murray  Company,  Clarence  Murray  having  full  charge  of  the 
local  shop  and  work  and  Arthur  W.  Murray  looking  after  the  fi- 
nancial end  of  the  business  and  the  outside  school  and  plumbing 
work. 


THE  HOOPESTON  TELEPHONE  COMPANY 


The  first  franchise  for  the  establishment  of  a  telephone  ex- 
change and  for  the  placing  of  equipment  for  such  an  exchange  in 
Hoopeston  was  granted  to  J.  E.  Whitman  on  March  17,  1902.  The 
franchise  was  granted  for  a  period  of  25  years  and  within  a  short 
time  after  its  passage  by  the  city  council  the  city  was  enjoying 
telephone  service. 

In  1905  Elijah  J.  Boorde  and  U.  S.  Thompson,  of  Fithian, 
Illinois,  came  to  Hoopeston,  purchased  the  company  and  became 
its  owners.  Later  Mr.  Boorde  purchased  the  entire  concern  and 
is  at  the  present  day  its  owner  and  manager. 

The  years  intervening  have  seen  improvement  after  im- 
provement made  by  Mr.  Boorde  in  the  lines  of  the  company  in 
Hoopeston  until  the  city  enjoys  service  that  is  generally  conced- 
ed to  be  better  than  that  afforded  in  cities  many  times  the  size 
of  Hoopeston.  The  most  modern  and  up-to-date  equipment  serves 
the  company  not  only  in  its  exchange  in  the  Willdon  building 
hut  also  in  its  lines  throughout  the  city. 

One  of  the  greatest  improvements  undertaken  since  the 
granting  of  the  original  franchise  is  now  in  progress  in  Hoopes- 
ton, that  when  completed  will  further  increase  the  good  service 
already  enjoyed.  The  vast  task  of  replacing  every  line  in  the 
city  with  the  newest  and  most  modern  equipment  of  this  nature 
was  undertaken  several  months  ago  and  so  great  is  the  task 
involved   that  it  will   not  be  until   September,   1925,  that   it   is 


103 

fully  completed.     Other  improvements  of  a  technical  nature  are 
also  on  the  program  at  this  time. 

Of  late  years  John  R.  Boorde,  son  of  the  head  of  the  tele- 
phone company,  has  taken  much  of  the  burden  of  its  manage- 
ment from  the  shoulders  of  his  father,  although  the  latter  re- 
mains actively  at  the  head  of  its  affairs. 


THE  CENTRAL  ILLINOIS  PUBLIC  SERVICE  COMPANY 


Hoopeston  today  is  served  by  one  of  the  best  of  the  great 
public  utility  concerns  that  cross  and  recross  the  State  of  Illinois 
in  a  vast  network  of  electrical  systems — The  Central  Illinois  Pub- 
lic Service  Company.  Electricity  is  furnished  for  light,  heat  and 
power  to  residents  of  Hoopeston,  as  well  as  gas  for  domestic  and 
industrial  use  at  a  rate  that  is  the  lowest  of  any  city  in  the  State. 
Offices  of  the  company  are  maintained  in  Hoopeston,  in  connec- 
tion with  which  a  retail  store  is  also  maintained,  where  citizens 
may  purchase  electrical  and  gas  using  appliances  at  a  cost  that 
compares  favorably  with  prices  charged  for  such  articles  in  any 
city  of  the  state. 

The  furnishing  of  gas  and  electricity  to  the  city  of  Hoopes- 
ton, the  most  important  public  utility  of  any  city,  came  into 
existence  here  in  the  year  1891,  when  the  Hoopeston  Electric 
Light  Company  was  organized  by  J.  S.  McFerren  and  A.  H.  Trego 
and  a  franchise  granted  to  C.  J.  Wakeman,  its  president  and 
treasurer,  to  supply  residents  of  the  city  with  electricity  and  gas 
under  the  terms  of  this  franchise,  which  is  to  remain  in  effect 
for  a  period  of  fifty  years  (until  1941.) 

Later  the  Hoopeston  Electric  Light  and  Heating  Company  be- 
came the  owners  of  the  franchise  granted  G.  J.  Wakeman  and 
the  property  of  the  Hoopeston  Electnc  Light  Company,  organized 
in  1891.  The  Hoopeston  Electric  Light  and  Heating  Company 
was  organized  by  Mr.  Wakeman  and  the  stock  was  sold  to  Hoopes- 
ton citizens.  The  company  was  incorporated  and  operated  for  a 
number  of  years  until  Hoopeston  as  a  field  for  this  purpose  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  a  state  public  utility  corporation  which 
took  over  the  franchise. 

In  the  years  following  several  changVs  took  place  until 
the  franchise  and  plant  here  was  acquired  by  the  Central  Illinois 
Public  Service  Company,  which  has  successfully  and  satisfactorily 
operated  it  up  to  the  present  time. 

C.  V.  Lnby  is  the  Hoopeston  manager  of  the  C.  I.  P.  S.  Com- 
pany and  for  a  number  of  years  has  made  his  home  here,  as  is 
the  policy  of  the  company  in  other  cities,  of  having  a  man  familiar 


106 

with  local  conditions,  etc.,  in  direct  charge  of  each  of  their  branch 
plants  throughout  the  state  of  Illinois. 

The  plant  of  the  Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company  in 
Hoopeston  is  one  of  the  best  properties  owned  by  the  company 
in  Illinois.  Improvements  made  since  the  acquiring  of  the  utility 
rights  here  by  this  company  include  the  building  of  another  main 
power  line  that  brings  electricity  to  Hoopeston  for  conversion  at 
the  big  plant  here  into  the  product  used  on  Hoopeston's 
streets  and  in  the  city's  homes  and  industrial  plants.  By  the  build- 
ing of  this  second  main  "feeder"  line  the  Central  Illinois  Public 
Service  Company  has  two,  either  of  which  will  bear  the  entire 
load  of  power  and  lighting  demanded  by  the  city,  making  it  prac- 
tically certain  that  at  no  time  can  the  city  be  without  power  or 
light. 

All  of  Hoopeston's  industries  use  electrical  power  to  a  great- 
er or  lesser  extent,  making  the  industry  that  produces  that  pow- 
er one  of  the  most  important  in  the  city.  Upon  it  depends  the 
turning  of  the  factory  wheels  that  mean  dollars  for  Hoopeston's 
wage  earners,  dollars  for  Hoopeston's  merchants.  Upon  it  also 
depends  the  light  and  heat  of  many  homes  while  the  gas  pro- 
duced by  the  company  goes  into  hundreds  of  homes  to  lighten 
the  labors  of  the  housewives.  The  number  of  domestic  users  of 
gas  and  electricity,  under  the  efficiency  of  the  Central  Illinois 
Public  Service  Company  during  the  active  management  of  Mr. 
Luby  as  head  of  the  company's  interests  here  has  almost  doubled. 
It  is  upon  this  fact  more  than  upon  any  other  that  statisticians 
have  based  their  report  at  many  times  in  the  past  that  Hoopes- 
ton homes  are  generally  far  above  the  average  viewed  from  a 
modern  improvement  standpoint. 

The  policy  of  the  Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company  in 
late  years  of  extending  to  users  of  gas  and  electricity  the  right 
to  become  stockholders  in  the  company  has  been  taken  advant- 
age of  by  many  Hoopeston  citizens.  Upon  this  fact  is  also  based 
in  a  small  measure  the  popularity  of  the  company,  citizens  who 
have  become  stockholders  feeling  they  are  more  or  less  taking 
an  active  participation  in  the  affairs  of  the  company,  which  af- 
fect their  own  lives  and  homes  to  a  great  degree.  The  remainder 
of  the  company's  popularity  in  this  section  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
they  render  excellent  service.  At  no  time  in  the  history  of  the 
city  have  residents  enjoyed  as  excellent  servic  as  has  been  rend- 
ered by  the  Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company,  service  that 
is  further  improved  from  year  to  year,  and  that  the  company  is 
planning  to  further  improve  as  the  needs  of  the  city  grow. 


107 

THE  CHICAGO  &  EASTERN  ILLINOIS  RAILWAY  AND  ITS 
PART  IN  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  HOOPESTON 


The  main  line  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railway  be- 
tween Chicago  and  Danville,  Illinois,  was  originally  projected  by 
Joeph  E.  Young,  who  caused  the  incorporation,  by  special  charter 
of  the  Illinois  Legislature,  approved  February  16th,  1815,  of  the 
Chicago,  Danville  and  Vincennes  Railroad  Company. 

The  amount  of  capital  stock  was  fixed  at  One  Million  dollars 
and  the  incorporators  were  William  D.  Judson,  Joseph  E.  Young, 
James  M.  Walker,  Joseph  Peters,  John  C.  Short,  Alvan  Gilbert, 
C.  A.  Lake,  Jamles  K.  Richie  and  William  Kile.  The  purpose  of  the 
corporation  was  to  construct  a  single  or  double  track  railroad  from 
a  point  in  Lawrence  County  on  the  Wabash  River,  opposite  Vin- 
cennes, Indiana,  to  Chicago,  by  way  of  Paris  in  Edgar  County,  and 
Danville. 

The  construction  of  the  road  was  commenced  in  1869  and 
completed  from  Dolton  to  Danville  during  the  year  1871.  A 
branch,  25  miles  in  length,  was  also  constructed,  and  opened  for 
business  in  July  1873,  from  Bismarck,  on  the  main  lline  north  of 
Danville,  through  Covington,  on  what  is  now  the  Peoria  Division 
of  the  Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  Chicago  &  St.  Louis  Railway  Com- 
pany, to  Coal  Creek  (Snoddy's  Mills)  in  Fountain  County,  Indiana. 


So  reads  the  prosaic  record  of  the  construction  of  the  first 
line  of  the  C.  &  E.  I. — the  line  that  was  destined  to  develop  Hoopes- 
ton  from  a  scattered  group  of  farm  buildings  to  a  progressive  city 
of  six  thousands.  It  does  not  tell  of  the  physical  difficulties  of 
construction,  the  hardships  the  engineers  had  to  undergo,  the  ridi- 
cule to  which  the  incorporators  were  subjected  for  projecting  such 
an  untried,  unproved  method  of  communication.  The  right  kind 
of  labor  was  difficult  to  procure ;  skilled  labor  was  unknown.  Capi- 
tal was  reluctant  to  enter  such  a  venture. 

It  was  longer  ago  than  mere  dates  represents.  It  was  in  the 
days  when  the  carpet-baggers  and  Ku  Kluxers  were  still  playing 
tag  with  the  negroes ;  it  was  during  the  time  when  Jay  Gould  and 
James  Fisk  were  cornering  the  visible  supply  of  gold,  and  just 
before  the  financial  panic  of  1873.  President  Grant  was  spending 
a  great  deal  of  effort  to  secure  Santo  Domingo.  The  Virginius 
crisis  occurred  in  1873  when  Spanish  authorities  captured  that 
ship  with  eight  Americans  on  board. 

But  the  fondest  visions  of  the  builders  of  the  C.  &  E.  I.  were 
not  without  foundation.  A  wave  of  new  industry  was  rolling 
through  the  North  and  Middle  West.  In  the  next  generation  this 
had  assumed  tidal  proportions  in  the  farm  and  mining  regions  of 
central  Illinois.    A  development  of  adequate  means  of  communica- 


108 

tion  was  absolutely  necessary  to  secure  the  prosperity  that  was 
within  reach.  It  would  be  painful  to  conjecture  how  long  it  would 
have  taken  to  develop  Hoopeston  had  not  the  C.  &  E.  I.  been 
built  when  it  was. 

We  today  would  call  that  first  road  poorly  constructed.  The 
principal  business  was  the  carriage  of  coal.  The  requirements 
of  present-day  rapid  passenger  transportation  were,  of  course, 
unforeseen.  Could  one  of  the  original  engineers  have  seen  the 
present  roadbed  of  the  C.  &  E.  I.  he  would  have  had  the  surprise 
of  his  life.  Hundred-pound  rails  are  laid  in  double  and  triple  track 
on  rock  ballast,  the  route  constructed  at  great  expense  to  reduce 
to  a  minimum  all  grades  and  curves.  The  palace  cars  of  today 
and  the  mammoth  locomotives  would  have  seemed  unbelievable 
to  those  men. 

With  the  expansion  of  the  C.  &  E.  I.  lines  north  to  Chicago, 
south  through  Indiana  and  southwest  to  St.  Louis,  Hoopeston's 
products  have  been  provided  with  outlets  to  the  gateways  of  the 
world.  Centrally  located  as  regards  different  rate  territories, 
Hoopeston  shippers  have  the  benefit  of  freight  rates  applying 
from  Chicago,  St.  Louis,  Peoria  and  such  cities.  Besides  the  ex- 
cellent passenger  service  to  and  from  Chicago,  through  passenger 
service  on  the  famous  Dixie  Route  to  Florida  gives  Hoopeston 
people  direct  connection  with  America's  most  popular  winter  re- 
sorts. Hoopeston  is  also  provided  with  through  daily  service 
south  to  the  scenic  Gulf  Coast  and  New  Orleans.  Daily  service 
to  St.  Louis  affords  direct  connections  with  all  points  in  the 
Southwest.  In  fact,  because  of  its  present  direct  connection  with 
the  outside  world,  Hoopeston's  opportunities  for  expansion  and 
progress  are  limited  only  to  the  breadth  of  vision  of  its  own  people. 


NICKEL  PLATE  ROAD 


The  New  York,  Chicago  and  St.  Louis  Railroad  Company,  Lake 
Erie  and  Western  District 


The  Story  of  The  Old  Lake  Erie 


The  romance  of  pioneer  railroad  building  is  well  written  into 
the  pages  of  the  Lake  Erie  and  Western's  history. 

The  original  charter  for  the  Indianapolis-Peru  Division  was 
granted  in  1846,  making  the  road  a  companion  for  the  Madison  & 
Indianapolis,  the  first  railroad  in  Indiana.  It  may  be  news  to 
many  to  know  that  at  one  time  the  Madison  &  Indianapolis  and 
the  Peru  &  Indianapolis  railroads  were  operated  together,  but 
this  plan  did  not  prove  a  success  because  the  Peru  &  Indianapolis 
did  not  reach  any  important  terminal.     The  Madison  railroad 


109 

reached  the  Ohio  River  and  gave  outlet  to  freight  and  passenger 
traffic.  The  Peru  &  Indianapolis  ran  up  into  the  Miami  Indian  re- 
serve and  ended  there.  Trade  was  inadequate  to  make  it  a  paying 
merger  and  the  Madison  &  Indianapolis  railroad  withdrew. 

Work  on  the  Peru  &  Indianapolis  division  did  not  begin  until 
three  years  after  the  granting  of  the  charter.  In  1849  track  build- 
ing was  started  between  Indianapolis  and  Noblesville  and  in  1851 
the  road  was  opened  over  this  twenty-one  miles  of  track.  It  was 
crude  construction,  for  the  rails  were  of  the  flat  type.  In  1854  the 
line  had  been  completed  to  Peru  at  a  cost  of  $700.00.  The  flat 
rails  proved  a  failure  and  they  were  replaced  by  the  "T"  type  a 
few  years  later.  The  road  became  known  as  the  Indianapolis, 
Peru  &  Chicago. 

The  line  running  through  Hoopeston,  Illinois,  was  incorporat- 
ed in  Illinois,  February  28,  1867,  under  the  LaFayette,  Bloom- 
ington  &  Mississippi  Railway  Co.,  to  build  a  line  from,  Blooming- 
ton  to  the  Indiana  State  line  west  of  LaFayette.  This  company 
having  become  insolvent,  the  mortgage  given  it  by  Abram  B. 
Bayless,  trustee,  was  foreclosed  at  the  January  term,  1876,  and 
the  LaFayette,  Bloomington  &  Mississippi  Railroad  Company  was 
sold  May  16.  1876,  to  John  Martin.  George  I  Seney,  Henry  K. 
Sheldon,  E.  H.  Lyman  and  Simeon  R.  Chittendon  as  trustee:  for 
the  holder  of  the  bonds. 

The  Master  Commissioner  made  a  deed  to  these  purchasers 
June  24,  1876,  and  The  LaFayette,  Bloomington  and  Mississippi 
Railroad  Company  was  incorporated  Sept.  27,  1876,  with  the 
same  routes  as  The  Lafavette,  Bloomington  &  Mississippi  Rail- 
way Company,  Dec.  21,  1876,  the  purchasers,  at  the  sale  hereinto- 
fore  referred  to,  deeding  the  property  to  The  Lafayette,  Blooming- 
ton &  Mississippi  Railway  Company. 

The  Lafayette,  Muncie  &  Bloomington  Railroad  Company  was 
incorporated  in  Indiana,  July  13,  1869,  with  a  route  from  Muncie, 
Indiana  to  the  state  line  of  Illinois  in  the  general  direction  of 
Bloomington,  Illinois.  This  company  having  defaulted  in  the  in- 
terest of  the  mortgage  given  to  Abram  B.  Bayless  to  secure  its 
bond,  the  mortgage  was  foreclosed  in  the  United  States  Circuit 
Court  for  the  District  of  Indiana,  and  the  property  ordered  sold, 
and  was  sold,  on  April  3,  1879,  to  C.  R.  Cummings,  E.  H.  R.  Ly- 
man, Dan.  P.  Eels  and  John  S.  NeWberry. 

On  April  2,  1879,  H.  S.  Fishback,  Special  Master  Commission- 
er, who  had  made  sale  of  the  property  to  C.  R.  Cummings,  E.  H. 
R.  Lyman,  Dan.  P.  Eels  and  John  S.  Newberry  deeded  the  prop- 
erty to  them. 

The  Muncie  &  State  Line  Railroad  Company  was  incorporat- 
ed in  Indiana,  on  April  28,  1897,  with  the  same  route  as  that  of 
The  LaFayette,  Bloomington  Railroad  Co.,  and  on  April  29,  1879, 
C.  R.  Cummings,  E.  H.  R.  Lyman,  Dan  P.  Eels  and  John  S.  New- 
berry deeded  the  property  to  it.     On  July  24,  1879,  The  Muncie 


110 

&  State  Line  Railroad  Company,  and  The  LaFayette,  Blooming- 
ton  &  Mississippi  Railroad  Co.  were  consolidated  under  the  name 
of  the  LaFayette,  Bloomington  &  Muncie  Railway  Co. 

December  11,  1879,  The  Lafayette,  Bloomington  &  Muncie 
Railway  Co.  and  The  Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railway  Co.  (of  Ohio 
and  Indiana)  wrere  consolidated  under  the  name  of  The  Lake  Erie 
&  Western  Railway  Co.,  which  assumed  the  mortgages  there- 
tofore issued  by  the  constituent  companies. 

The  Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railroad  Co.,  during  1887  and  1888 
built  and  opened  for  traffic  that  portion  of  the  line  between 
Bloomington  and  Peoria. 

The  road  first  took  the  title  of  the  Lake  Erie  &  Western 
Railroad  Company  in  1887.  It  was  incorporated  under  the  laws 
of  the  State  of  Illinois  and  succeeded  the  following  properties : 

Indianapolis  to  Peru,  Indiana,  formerly  the  property  of  the 
Indianapolis,  Peru  &  Chicago  Railway  Co.,  sold  under  foreclosure 
and  deed  to  the  new  company,  April  8,  1887. 

Peru  to  La  Porte,  Indiana,  formerly  the  property  of  Chicago, 
Cincinati  &  Louisville  Railway  Company,  sold  under  foreclosure 
and  deeded  to  the  new  company  March  30,  1887.  La  Porte  to 
Michigan  City,  Indiana,  formerly  the  property  of  the  Michigan 
City  &  Indianapolis  Railroad  Company,  sold  under  foreclosure 
and  deeded  to  the  company  April  8,  1887. 

Connersville  to  Ft.  Wayne,  Indiana,  and  New  Castle  to  Rush- 
ville,  Indiana,  formerly  property  of  the  Ft.  Wayne,  Cincinnati  & 
Louisville  Railroad  Company,  was  bought  by  the  company  and 
title  acquired  May  28,  1890. 

Main  Line.  Almost  an  entire  book  would  be  required  to  tell 
of  the  numerous  changes  that  have  taken  place  in  the  east-west 
division  of  the  Lake  Erie  &  Western  from  Sandusky,  Ohio,  across 
central  Indiana  to  Peoria,  Illinois.  That  division  represents  the 
merging  of  many  small  railroads. 

The  Lake  Erie  &  Louisville  Railroad  Company  and  Indian- 
apolis &  Sandusky  Railroad  Company  were  consolidated  in  1879, 
and  a  few  months  later  the  additional  trackage  of  the  LaFayette, 
Bloomington  &  Muncie  Railway  Company  was  merged  to  create 
the  "Main  Line"  of  the  Lake  Erie.  Then  came  another  project, 
The  LaFayette,  Bloomington  &  Mississippi  Railway  Company, 
which  extended  the  line  from  Bloomington  to  Peoria,  Illinois. 

The  Lake  Erie  &  Western  retained  its  title  even  after  it  be- 
came a  part  of  the  New  York  Central  system,  several  years  ago. 
The  New  York  Central  system  dropped  the  Lake  Erie  &  Western 
affiliations  and  the  property  was  transferred  to  the  Nickel  Plate 
Road.    And  thus  passes  the  old  Lake  Erie  &  Western. 

People  along  the  line  will  miss  the  old  Lake  Erie  &  Western 
as  a  familiar  name.  Children  born  along  its  right-of-way,  now 
grandparents,  and  it  is  probable  that  many  years  will  elapse 
before  the  old  road  is  known  by  any  other  name.    But  time,  pro- 


Ill 

Sgress  and  capital  have  decreed  that  the  road's  official  name  now 
be  the  Nickel  Plate. 

An  interesting  incident  in  connection  with  the  passing  of 
the  Lake  Erie  &  Western  is  that  it  also  marks  the  retirement  of 
A.  D.  Thomas,  its  treasurer,  after  45  years  of  continuous  service. 

The  veteran  railroad  man  recalls  his  early  troubles  in  handl- 
ing the  finances  of  his  company.  Sufficient  money  to  pay  the 
employees  frequently  was  not  forthcoming.  Sometimes  the  em- 
ployees would  have  to  wait  two,  three  and  often  five  or  six  months 
before  welcome  pay  car  came. 

Wood  burning  engines  still  were  in  vogue  forty-five  years 
ago.  The  little  locomotives  had  funnel  shaped  stacks  that  emit- 
ted a  roaring  sound  when  the  engine  was  in  operation.  The  loco- 
motives were  gala  affairs. 

The  old  Lake  Erie  has  perhaps  undergone  more  changes  of 
operation  and  control  than  any  railroad  in  the  middle  west.  It 
has  passed  through  receiverships,  mergers  and  extensions. 

Minstrels  have  hurled  their  jokes  at  it;  towns  and  cities 
along  its  right  of  way  have  both  boosted  and  berated  it,  but  the 
old  Lake  Erie  has  gone  on  to  the  fateful  hour,  when  it  was  ab- 
sorbed by  one  of  the  country's  greatest  transportation  systems. 

Thus  the  progress  of  our  city  has  been  contributed  to  by  the 
old  Lake  Erie.  It  has  had  its  ups  and  downs  with  the  great  farm- 
ing community  and  manufacturing  industry  where  today  many 
car  loads  of  freight  come  and  go,  from  a  city  of  6,000  inhabitants, 
helping  to  carry  the  products  to  all  parts  of  the  country. 


GENERAL  REVIEW 


WTiile  those  industries  that  are  related  in  detail  in  the  fore- 
going pages  of  this  chapter  are  those  that  are  generally  conceded 
to  be  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  city  of  Hoopeston,  there 
are  many  others  of  a  lesser  degree  of  importance,  yet  without 
which  the  city  would  find  itself  in  sore  straits. 

Included  among  these  are  the  lumber  and  grain  companies 
operated  here:  The  Illinois  Lumber,  Grain  &  Coal  Company: 
The  Hott-Miller  Lumber  and  Coal  Company,  The  Hoopeston 
Grain  and  Coal  Company  and  the  McGill  Coal  Company.  The 
names  of  these  concerns,  that  annually  do  many  thousands  of 
dollars  worth  of  business  here,  are  self-explanatory. 

Two  other  concerns  of  a  size  to  merit  special  mention  are 
the  A.  H.  Campbell  Company  and  Otto  Johnson  &  Sons.  Both  of 
these  concerns  have  for  many  years  supplied  the  needs  of  the 
farmer  residents  of  this  vicinity  with  farm  implements.  Otto 
Johnson  &  Sons,  in  connection  with  their  implement  warehouse, 
also  maintain  a  blacksmith  shop  for  the  repair  of  implements,  etc*, 


112 

while  the  Campbell  Company  maintains  a  retail  hardware  store 
in  connection  with  their  warehouse.  In  the  first  half  of  the  year 
1925  the  place  of  business  of  the  A.  H.  Campbell  Company  on 
Bank  street  underwent  remodelling  and  great  improvement,  until 
the  imposing  structure  now  housing  the  company  is  one  of  the 
largest  of  Hoopeston's  semi-industrial  concerns. 

The  Hoopeston  Bottling  Works,  East  Washington  street,  is 
owned  and  operated  by  Charles  E.  Hughes,  Many  delicious  va- 
rieties of  soft  drinks  are  manufactured  and  bottled  by  this  con- 
cern which  find  their  way  to  the  counters  of  scores  of  retail  sel- 
lers throughout  this  section  of  the  state. 

John  Green  &  Sons  Machine  shop  is  another  of  the  industries 
that  is  at  the  present  time  budding  out  and  that  in  a  short  time 
is  to  take  its  place  among  the  major  industries  of  the  city.  A  new 
building,  to  be  erected  on  West  Main  street  to  house  a  plant 
for  the  manufacture  of  the  re-babbitting  machines  that  are  the 
product  of  this  company,  manufactured  here  on  a  small  scale  for 
many  years  past,  is  included  among  plans  for  the  next  year  (1925- 
26).  When  this  has  been  done  John  Green  &  Sons  will  have  been 
admitted  to  the  ranks  of  the  major  industries. 

Hoopeston  is  also  the  home  of  the  Shaw  &  Allen  Company, 
one  of  the  newest  of  the  industrial  enterprises  here.  Establish- 
ed by  Chicago  residents  who  came  to  Hoopeston  in  1923,  the 
Shaw  &  Allen  Company  manufactures  men's  and  boy's  clothing 
for  the  wholesale  trade.  They  are  a  vigorous  and  growing  con- 
cern and  in  the  years  to  come  may  also  reach  the  size  that  will 
merit  their  being  listed  in  the  ranks  of  the  major  industrial  plants 
of  Hoopeston. 

With  decentralization  of  industry  in  progress  throughout 
the  nation  and  great  industries  generally  moving  their  plants 
from  the  larger  centers  of  population  to  smaller  towns,  where 
conditions  are  better,  Hoopeston  is  one  of  the  best  prospects  of 
the  middlewest  for  the  establishment  of  major  industrial  concerns. 

Close  co-operation  between  the  industries  already  located 
here  and  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  through  an  industrial  com- 
mittee that  is  largely  composed  of  executives  of  industries,  make 
it  certain  that  none  but  worthwhile  enterprises  can  obtain  loca- 
tion here.  This  co-operation  also  makes  it  certain  that  location 
of  desirable  factories  in  the  future  will  come. 

Activities  of  the  Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company 
in  this  line  also  will  in  the  future  prove  of  great  benefit  to  the 
city.  This  public  utility  corporation  now  maintains  a  branch  that 
has  for  its  purpose  the  location  of  industries  desiring  removal 
from  the  larger  cities  and  it  is  significant  that  the  head  of  this 
branch  of  the  Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company  considers 
Hoopeston  the  second  most  desirable  city  in  the  entire  state  of 
Illinois  for  the  location  of  more  industrial  concerns. 


m.LWOIS 


THE  TOWN  CLOCK  BUILDING 


This  building,  owned  by  Ruby  Yonkelowitz,  and  B.  R.  Bur- 
ton and  housing-  the  Burton  Dry  Goods  Store,  the  offices  of  the 
Central  Illinois  Public  Service  Company ;  the  offices  of  Drs.  Kline 
and  Earel  and  Dr.  J.  M.  Hannell,  Dentist,  as  well  as  the  I.  0.  O.  F. 
Lodge  Rooms  and  a  number  of  apartment  tenants,  was  the  scene 
of  a  disastrous  fire  on  the  morning  of  January  20,  1925.  The 
tower  of  the  town  clock,  shown  in  the  picture  was  completely 
destroyed  and  thus  passed  out  one  of  Hoopeston's  landmarks. 
The  town  clock  is  to  be  replaced  by  the  owner  of  the  building  in 
the  future  with  a  similar  tower  and  clock. 


Parks  and  Public  Buildings 


The  Federal  Building;  Growth  of  Postoffice  Business;  The  Firsts 
Library  Association;  Founding  of  First  Public  Library  by 
Mary  Hart  well  Catherwood  Club;  Founding  of  Carnegie  Free 
Public  Library  and  Its  Growth ;  The  City  Hall  and  Municipal 
Offices;  City  Schools  and  Educational  System;  McFerrein 
Park  Is  Given  to  City  by  J.  S.  McFerren;  City  (North)  Park 
and  Union  Park  Given  City  by  Alba  Honeywell;  Floral  Hill 
Cemetery,  The  Gift  of  Thomas  Hoopes. 


Completed  in  1918  at  a  cost  of  $10,000,  Hoopeston  has  a 
federal  building  housing  the  post  office  of  the  city  that  would 
be  a  credit  to  a  city  of  much  larger  size.  The  appropriation  for 
this  federal  building  was  first  passed  by  the  congress  in  1910, 
but  various  legislative  delays  prevented  the  money  for  its  con- 
struction becoming  available  until  in  1917,  when  construction 
work  was  started.  It  was  completed  and  ready  for  occupancy 
on  October  5,  1918,  when  the  postmaster  and  his  employes  took 
possession. 

The  building  is  a  handsome  structure  of  red  faced  brick  and 
stone,  fireproof  throughout.  A  spacious  lobby  forms  the  main 
entrance  to  the  building,  where  hundreds  of  Hoopeston  people 
come  each  day  to  transact  business.  Money  order,  stamp  win- 
dows, parcels  post  and  each  special  class  of  business  handled  by 
the  postoffice  are  carried  on  separately.  At  one  end  of  the  spa- 
cious lobby  is  the  office  of  the  postmaster.  Here  the  big  business 
that  is  annually  conducted  by  the  federal  institution  in  this  city 
is  directed. 

Growth  of  the  Hoopeston  post  office  business  since  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  office  here  by  the  post  office  department  in 
1872  with  J.  M.  R.  Spinning  as  the  first  postmaster,  has  reflect- 


116 


ed  the  general  prosperity  of  the  city.  Postmaster  Spinning  re- 
ceived a  salary  of  $12  per  year,  when  he  was  appointed,  salaries 
of  postmasters  being  based  upon  the  amount  of  business  dene 

by  their  offices.  The  salary  of 
Postmaster  Kelly  A.  Cardiff, 
present  postmaster  of  the  city  of 
Hoopeston,  is  in  excess  of  $2,000 
which  will  give  some  idea  of  the 
rate  of  growth  in  the  fifty  odd 
year  period  since  the  founding  of 
the  city. 

The  securing  of  a  federal 
building  for  Hoopeston  was  an 
achievement  to  which  Hoopeston 
owes  William  Finley,  an  ex-post- 
master of  the  city,  and  Charles 
Warner  a  debt  of  gratitude. 
There  were  other  residents  who 
also  pulled  with  might  and  main 
for  the  building,  bringing  their 
influence  to  bear  upon  "Uncle 
Joe"  Cannon,  representing  the 
eighteenth  district  in  congress, 
and  who  finally  secured  the  Hoop- 
eston appropriation. 

The  federal  building  is  an 
attractive  brick  structure  at  the 
corner  of  East  Penn  and  Market 
streets.  Spacious  grounds  sur- 
round it  that  are  kept  in  excell- 
ent condition  and  form  a  beauty  spot  that  has  drawn  many  com- 
pliments from  visitors  to  Hoopeston. 

To  Postmaster  Kelly  A.  Cardiff  and  his  corps  of  assistants 
much  of  the  credit  for  the  excellent  financial  condition  of  the 
postoffice  business  here  is  due.  Courtesy  on  the  part  of  all  em- 
ployes, and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  vast  business  of  which 
the  Hoopeston  office  is  an  integral  part,  has  been  rewarded  by 
an  increase  in  business  each  year  at  the  postoffice. 

Officials  and  employes  of  the  post  office  are:  Kelly  A.  Car- 
diff Postmaster;  C.  A.  E.  Sheets,  Assistant  Postmaster;  Leroy 
Songer,  Clerk;  0.  W.  Heaton,  Money  Order  Clerk,  Rora  P.  Smith, 
clerk.  In  addition  to  these  are  mail  carriers  who  cover  Hoopes- 
ton's  five  rural  routes  and  the  streets  of  the  city. 


Kelly  A.  Cardiff 


117 


THE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


The  first  attempt  to  found  a  public  library  in  Hoopeston 
came  in  the  year  1872,  when  the  Hoopeston  Library  and  Lecture 
Association  was  organized  on  December  30.  The  Hon.  Lyford 
Marston  was  elected  president,  R.  Casemut,  vice-president ;  G.  W. 
Seavey,  secretary;  W.  Gloze,  treasurer  and  S.  E.  Miller,  librarian. 
There  were  fifty  merribers  of  this  association,  which  after  a  few 
years  of  existence  was  permitted  to  die  out,  interest  not  being 
sustained  in  the  project. 

Following  the  organization  of 
the  Mary  Hartwell  Catherwood 
Club  in  Hoopeston  in  1895,  the 
movement  for  a  free  public  library 
was  again  taken  up  and  sponsored 
by  this  powerful  organization, 
soon  had  become  a  fact.  From  its 
founding  until  January  21,  1905, 
the  library  was  housed  in  the  city 
building  on  North  Market  street. 
The  first  board  of  trustees  for 
the  Hoopeston  Public  Library  was 
appointed  by  Mayor  John  L.  Ham- 
ilton and  confirmed  by  the  city 
council  in  June,  1898.  The  mem- 
bers were  Mrs.  Mary  Hartwell 
Catherwood,  Mrs.  Lillian  C.  War- 
ner, Mrs.  Anna  Phelps  and 
Messrs.  William  Moore,  A.  H. 
Trego,  H.  L.  Bushnell,  A.  L. 
Sh  river,  James  H.  Dyer  and  Wil- 
liam J.  Sharon.  The  first  meet- 
ing of  the  board  was  held  July  6, 
1898,  and  organization  was  effect- 
ed by  the  election  of  A.  H.  Trego 
as  president  and  A.  L.  Shriver  as 
secretary. 

The  library  was  formally  open- 
ed on  Monday  evening,  November 
23,  1898,  in  a  room  set  apart  for 
it  by  the  city  council  in  the  new 
city  building.  The  whole  building 
was  thrown  open  and  the  people 
Were  generally  invited  to  participate  in  the  opening.  About  two 
hundred  visitors  were  present  and  a  program,  consisting  of  music 


J.  H.  DYER 

Mayor  of  Hoopeston  1893-95, 
Senior  member  of  law  firm  of 
Dyer  &  Dyer  and  a  member  of 
the  Library  Board  since  its  or- 
ganization in  1898. 


118 


and  literary  exercises,  was  rendered.  Fifty-four  books  were 
issued  the  first  evening,  and  after  several  weeks  the  number  of 
borrowers  reached  200. 

In  November,  1903,  Andrew  Carnegie,  millionaire  philanthro- 
pist gave  $3,000  for  the  establishment  of  a  free  public  library 
here,  later  amplifying  this  sum  with  $2,500  in  December,  1903; 
$2,130  in  January,  1904;  $2,370  in  March,  1904,  and  $2,500  in 
August,  1904,  making  a  total  of  $12,500. 

One  of  Hoopeston's  most  generous  public-spirited  citizens, 
Alba  Honeywell,  donated  the  grounds  upon  which  the  library  was 
to  be  built  and  on  January  21,  1905,  the  new  library  was  thrown 
open  to  the  public,  with  fitting  dedicatory  services. 

The  building  is  of  white  brick  and  stone  with  a  slate  roof, 
It  stands  in  the  center  of  a  beautiful  plat  of  ground,  graded  to 
exactly  the  right  pitch  and  is  sufficiently  high  to  present  a  hand- 
some appearance  from  all  directions.  Its  dimensions  are  56  1-2 
feet  north  and  south  by  51  feet  east  and  west.  Its  classic  outlines 
enhanced  by  a  Grecian  portico,  31  feet  broad  and  13  feet  deep, 
supported  by  four  Tuscan  stone  columns  each  20  feet  all,  present 
a  pleasing  picture. 

The  building  is  of  white  brick 
and  stone  with  a  slate  roof.  It 
stands  in  the  center  of  a  beautiful 
plat  of  ground,  graded  to  exactly 
the  right  pitch  and  is  sufficiently 
high  to  present  a  handsome  ap- 
pearance from  all  directions.  Its 
dimensions  are  56  1-2  feet  north 
and  south  by  51  feet  east  and  west. 
Its  classic  outlines  enhanced  by  a 
Grecian  portico,  31  feet  broad  and 
13  feet  deep,  supported  by  four 
~  .    T  -i  Tuscan  stone  columns  each  20  feet 

Carnegie  Library  all>  present  a  phasing  picture. 

The  main  floor  of  the  building  is  entered  through  a  vestibule, 
11  by  13  feet  and  up  a  few  steps  from  the  level  of  the  portico.  On 
each  side  of  the  vestibule  is  a  cloak  room  6  by  8,  entered  from 
the  inside.  The  main  floor  is  53  feet  north  and  south  by  27  feet 
east  and  west.  It  is  divided  for  convenience  into  three  sections, 
the  north  division  devoted  to  the  children's  reading  room,  the 
south  to  the  adults  reading  room  and  the  center  to  the  entrance 
and  delivery  room.  The  large  and  handsome  circular  librarian's 
desk  is  situated  directly  in  front  of  the  entrance.  Back  of  the 
desk  is  the  section  18  by  27  feet  devoted  to  book  stands  with 
capacity  of  5,000  volumes.  In  the  southeast  corner  of  the  main 
floor  is  the  librarian's  office,  where  the  library  committee  also 
hold  their  meetings. 

At  the  corner  of  the  reference  room,  facing  the  main  room, 


119 

is  a  handsome  drinking  fountain  of  marble  and  gold  bronze,  bear- 
ing the  inscription  "In  Memory  of  Francis  C.  Trego."  It  is  ele- 
gant in  design  and  finish  and  was  presented  by  A.  H.  Trego,  pres- 
ident of  the  library  board,  as  a  memorial  to  the  late  Mrs.  Francis 
C.  Trego  who  took  a  very  active  part  in  the  inception  of  the  li- 
brary' idea. 

Directly  over  the  fountain  is  a  bronze  tablet  30  by  44  inches 
in  size  bearing  the  inscription,  "The  Hoopeston  Library,  founded 
by  the  Mary  Hartwell  Catherwood  Club,  A.  D.  1898.  Andrew 
Carnegie  donor  of  the  building.  Alba  Honeywell  donor  of  the 
grounds,  1904." 

Each  year  since  the  establishment  of  the  library  has  shown 
a  growth  not  onlv  in  the  number  of  books  upon  its  shelves  but 
in  the  number  of  borrowers. 


THE  CITY  HALL 


A  modern  brick  structure  erected  at  a  cost  of  $5,600, 
houses  the  city  offices,  the  police  station,  fire  department  head- 
quarters and  the  council  chamber  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen. 

The  office  of  the  water  collector  is  on  the  first  floor  of  this 
building,  for  the  convenience  of  citizens  who  have  business  there 
and  the  second  floor  is  given  over  to  the  council  chamber,  record 
vaults  and  an  office  room  or  ante  chamber  for  the  use  of  city 
officials. 

The  record  vaults  are  of  fireproof  construction,  housing  val- 
uable data,  council  minutes,  etc.,  that  have  been  collected  since 
the  founding  of  the  city.  Built  during  the  administration  of  I. 
E.  Merritt,  as  Mayor  of  Hoopeston,  these  vaults  are  a  valuable 
adjunct  to  the  city  building,  providing  an  excellent  place  for  the 
safekeeping  of  records  and  papers  of  value  to  the  city. 

The  fire  department  quarters  are  used  to  house  the  big  fire 
truck  and  other  fire  fighting  paraphenalia  of  the  volunteer  fire 
company. 

The  city  prison,  which  occupies  part  of  the  upper  floor  space, 
has  two  steel  cells,  of  the  latest  and  most  modern  design,  calcu- 
lated to  safely  hold  any  lawbreaker  that  is  placed  there  by  offic- 
ials of  the  law. 

Until  the  building  of  the  Carnegie  Library  in  Hoopeston, 
the  City  Hall  also  housed  the  library  room,  but  with  the  removal 
of  the  library  to  its  own  quarters  this  room  was  turned  into  an 
anteroom  for  the  council  chamber  and  is  still  used  as  such. 


120 


THE  CITY  WATERWORKS 


Constructed  in  1888,  at  a  cost  of  $12,500,  the  Holly  system 
of  waterworks  owned  by  the  city  is  now  estimated  to  be  worth 
well  over  $100,000.  With  the  growth  of  the  city  and  increasing 
demand  for  water,  improvements  have  been  made  at  various 
times  that  have  greatly  increased  the  value,  not  only  of  the  plant 
itself,  but  of  the  vast  system  of  mains  that  underly  the  city  and 
that  carry  the  water  for  domestic  and  industrial  use  into  every 
street  within  the  corporate  limits. 

During  the  past  six  years  many  improvements  have  been 
made  at  the  waterworks,  including  the  construction  of  a  new 
reservoir  and  the  sinking  of  a  new  well.  Two  great  pumps  in 
the  best  of  condition,  either  of  which  is  able  to  carry  the  entire 
load  of  ordinary  use,  leaving  the  other  free  for  any  emergency 
call,  such  as  a  big  fire,  etc.,  are  part  of  the  waterworks  plant. 
These  pumps  have  been  tested  in  actual  emergency  and  have  been 
found  to  be  one  of  the  wisest  investments  ever  made  by  the  city. 


CITY  SCHOOLS 


Three  of  Hoopeston's  wards  have  school  buildings  erected 
there  to  care  for  the  growing  needs  of  education  in  the  city. 
These  building  are  the  Honeywell,  the  first  to  be  erected  in  Hoop- 
eston  and  the  Maple  and  Lincoln  street  school  buildings.  In  addi- 
tion to  these,  the  Greer  College 
building  on  the  west  side  is 
used  as  a  high  school.  Greer 
College  was  left  as  a  gift  to 
the  city  by  John  Greer,  to  be 
used  for  educational  purposes, 
with  A.  H.  Trego,  J.  S.  McFer- 
ren  and  R.  T.  Miskimen  as  trus- 
tees. Of  these  trustees,  Mr. 
Miskimen  still  serves  in  the 
capacity,  although  both  of  his 
two  former  colleagues  in  the 
trusteeship  have  passed  be- 
yond. 

The  Hoopeston  city  schools 

are  headed  by  W.  R.  Lowery, 

as  Superintendent,  and  during 

his  able  administration  of  their 

affairs  have  prospered  and  grown  until  they  are  known  throughout 

the  state  as  among  the  best  for  a  city  of  Hoopeston's  size  in 

Illinois. 


Greer  College 


121 


An  efficient  corps  of  teachers  aid  Superintendent  Lowery  and 
his  officials  in  their  task  of  educating  Hoopeston's  children  during 
their  first  twelve  years  of  school  life — eight  common  school 
grades  and  four  years  of  High  school. 

The  high  school  has  for 
many  years  been  an  accredited 
institution  under  the  system 
which  permits  students  of  first 
grade  high  schools  to  enter  uni- 
versities without  preparatory 
work.  This  is  the  highest  honor 
that  can  be  won  by  a  small  town 
high  school  and  in  placing  the 
Hoopeston  institution  upon  this 
basis,  Superintendent  Lowery 
and  his  teachers  have  accom- 
lished  an  object  that  is  worthy 
of  mention. 

At  the  head  of  and  supervis- 
ing the  work  of  the  schools  is 
the  Board  of  Education,  elected 
by  the  citizens  of  Hoopeston 
and  consisting  of  a  president  ana 
six  members.  The  present  pres- 
ident of  the  Board  of  Education 
is  Paul  E.  Weber  and  the  mem- 
Fred  E.  Earel,  W.  C.  Welty,  Wai 
ter  Trego,  John  0.  Lyons  and  Frank  Preston. 

Need  for  a  new  gymnasium  and  auditorium  at  the-high  school 
making  itself  felt  acutely  in  the  past  several  years,  has  led  to 
plans  being  made  by  this  school  board  for  the  construction  of  a 
new  building  to  be  used  for  this  dual  purpose  and  which  it  is  ex- 
pected to  have  ready  for  use  before  the  end  of  1925. 


W.  R.  Lowery 

bers  are :  Harry  H.  Hamilton,  Dr 


M'FERREN  PARK 


McFerren  Park,  formerly  the  Hoopeston  Fair  Grounds,  is  the 
gift  of  J.  S.  McFerren  to  the  city  of  Hoopeston.  A  delightful 
shaded  area  of  thirty  acres  extent,  well  equipped,  McFerren  Park, 
is  one  of  the  mjost  beautiful  spots  within  the  corporation.  With 
the  passing  of  the  Hoopeston  Fair  Association  and  the  closing  of 
racing  days  in  Hoopeston,  the  park  was  made  a  gift  to  Hoopeston 
by  J.  S.  McFerren,  the  only  proviso  being  that  it  was  not  to  be 
used  for  purposes  of  profit. 


122 


McFerren  Park  Pavilion 


As  the  city  has  grown  and  the  money  has  become  available  the 
park  has  been  improved  from  time  to  time  until  it  rivals  those 

pleasure  spots  of  much  larger 
cities.  A  great  pavilion  which 
will  seat  more  than  2,000  peo- 
ple is  one  of  these  improve- 
ments worthy  of  mention. 
This  pavilion  is  the  largest 
meeting  place  in  Hoopeston 
and  has  been  used  for  count- 
less purposes  that  have  been 
of  benefit  to  the  city.  Chief 
among  these  has  been  the 
chautauqua.  A  ladies'  rest 
room  is  another  improvement 
worthy  of  mention  as  is  a  zoo 
that  has  been  founded  and  that  is  added  to  from  time  to  time  as 
the  opportunity  presents  itself. 

It  is  as  a  picnic  and  play  spot  that  McFerren  Park  excells 
any  other  meeting  place  in  this  section  of  the  country,  however. 
Great  trees  provide  welcome  shade  from  the  hot  sun.  A  swim- 
ming pool  was  constructed  a  few  years  ago  and  this  is  one  of  the 
most  popular  of  sports  during  the  summer  months.  Playground 
equipment  has  been  added  to  the  park  at  several  times  in  the  past 
and  more  is  to  be  placed  there  in  the  future  to  provide  safe  sport 
for  the  children  of  the  city. 

McFerren  Park  is  the  scene  of  the  annual  Fourth  of  July 
celebration,  now  given  under  the  auspices  of  Ira  Owen  Kreager 
Post,  No.  384,  American  Legion  and  which  has  grown  to  be  the 
greatest  celebration  of  this  nature  in  Eastern  Illinois  and  Western 
Indiana. 


CITY  PARK 


The  city  park  on  North  Market  street  is  another  delightful 
retreat  for  the  citizens  of  Hoopeston  residing  in  the  northeastern 
section  of  the  city.  Although  not  of  as  great  extent  as  McFerren 
Park,  the  North  Park,  as  it  is  more  commonly  called,  has  beau- 
tiful shade  trees,  a  circular  band  stand,  where  band  concerts  are 
given  during  the  summer  months  and  has  other  advantages  that 
make  it  a  delightful  spot  in  which  to  spend  leisure  hours.  Public 
spirited  citizens  have  recently  set  out  many  beautiful  flower  beds 
in  the  North  Park,  that  will  greatly  enhance  its  beauty. 


123 
UNION  PARK 


Situated  on  Sixth  street  between  McNeil  and  McCracken 
Avenues  this  park  is  perhaps  the  least  known  and  used  of  the 
three  in  the  city  Beautiful  trees  here  also  provide  welcome  shade, 
but  little  attempt  has  been  made  as  yet  to  beautify  this  spot,  due 
to  the  fact  that  there  is  as  yet  little  demand  for  another  pleasure 
spot,  sue  has  it  will  afford  in  the  years  yet  to  come.  It  is  used  as 
a  picnic  spot  and  by  those  fortunate  few  who  live  in  the  immedi- 
ate section  as  a  place  to  spend  their  leisure  hours.  Both  Union 
Park  and  City  Park  (North  Park)  were  the  gift  of  Alba  Honey- 
well to  the  city  of  Hoopeston. 


FLORAL  HILL  CEMETERY 


On  an  elevation  slightly  higher  than  the  surrounding  country 
and  just  about  a  mile  north  of  the  city,  lies  Floral  Hill  Cemetery — 
the  city  of  the  dead — and  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  this  section 
of  the  country.  Floral  Hill  is  the  gift  of  Thomas  Hoopes,  pioneer 
resident  to  the  city  of  Hoopeston,  who  donated  $5,000  to  the  city 
for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  and  maintaining  this  property, 
under  the  control  of  a  board  appointed  by  the  city  council. 

Floral  Hill  is  beautifully  kept  up  and  although  it  has  sad  as- 
sociations for  many  residents  of  Hoopeston,  who  have  loved  ones 
lying  there,  nevertheless  its  beauty  is  so  great  that  it  attracts 
hundreds  of  visitors  who  come  to  walk  along  its  gravelled  paths 
and  view  its  beautiful  flowers. 

Direct  charge  of  Floral  Hill  lies  in  the  hands  of  a  cemetery 
superintendent,  appointed  by  the  mayor  and  responsible  to  that 
official  and  to  the  city  council  for  the  manner  in  which  the  ceme- 
tery is  cared  for. 


Hoopeston's  Churches 


General  Review — First  Church  Activities — "McCracken's  Pulpit" 
— Organization  of  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and 
Growth — The  First  Church  of  Christ — The  First  Presbyterian 
Church — The  United  Presbyterian  Church — The  Universalist 
Church — The  First  Baptist  Church — St.  Anthony's  Catholic 
Church — The  Society  of  Friends — The  Christian  Science 
Church — The  Free  Methodist  Church — Summary. 


The  church  life,  next  to  the  home  life  of  any  city  is  one  of 
the  most  important  factors  in  the  building  of  a  community  and  it 
is  significant  in  the  history  of  Hoopeston  that  it  was  only  a 
short  time  until  the  pioneer  residents  who  followed  the  railroads 
to  this  vicinity  or  who  were  here  when  the  railroads  arrived, 
paused  in  their  labors  long  enough  to  organize  and  conduct  devo- 
tional exercises. 

It  is  also  significant  that  as  a  result  of  the  devout  character 
of  these  pioneer  builders  of  the  city  of  the  prairie,  that  from  the 
time  the  city  was  incorporated  until  the  present  day,  there  never 
has  been  a  saloon  within  the  border  of  the  town.  There  did  at  one 
time  exist  a  saloon — outside  of  the  corporate  limits  of  the  town — 
barred  from  entry,  but  this  attempt  to  edge  in  with  the  liquor  traf- 
fic was  soon  discouraged  by  those  who  had  the  reigns  of  govern- 
ment in  their  hands  and  it  disappeared  from  Hoopeston's  door. 

Religious  services  first  held  in  Hoopeston  were  of  the  non- 
denominational  character  and  were  held  at  McCracken's  store. 
There  was  no  qualification  for  the  preachers  that  were  heard 
there,  other  than  that  he  be  able  to  talk  on  the  Word.  As  the  town 
grew  and  expanded  and  more  of  the  people  began  to  feel  the  need 
of  religious  instruction  and  worship,  denominations  began  to  form 
and  from  each  of  these  as  they  were  founded  were  developed  the 
present  large  congregations  and  beautiful  church  homes  that  are 
one  of  the  most  valuable  features  of  the  city  as  a  whole. 

So  large  have  the  congregations  of  the  churches  grown  and  so 


The  M.  E.  Parsonage 


OOPESTON  Methodism  has  provided  a  comfortable  house  for  her 
ministers.  The  house  is  a  combination — home  for  the  minister 
and  his  family;  study  where  the  minister  reads,  thinks,  plans, 
prepares  his  sermons  and  attends  to  a  multitude  of  details:  of- 
fice where  the  clerical  work  of  the  church  is  done  by  the  secretary. 
Here  the  minister  will  see  all  who  want  to  see  him.  Here  the  troubled, 
the  needy,  those  with  religious  problems,  and  those  who  need  spiritual 
guidance  may  come  freely  and  receive  such  help  as  lies  within  his 
power  to  give.  Here  the  members  or  adherents  of  the  church  are  wel- 
c(iii)  to  drop  in  for  a  friendly  chat. 


127 

<>ood  is  the  general  moral  tone  of  the  city  that  it  has  won  for  it- 
self the  cognomen  of  "The  Holy  City"  among  other  towns  of  the 
land.  This  name  applied  first  in  a  spirit  of  scoffing  was  not  re- 
sented by  the  citizens  of  Hoopeston,  who  in  the  years  that  have 
passed  since  it  first  was  applied  have  grown  exceedingly  proud  of 
it.  The  moral  tone  of  the  city  has  as  a  result  greatly  benefitted 
and  today  is  as  good  as  those  old  pioneers  who  so  desired  it  could 
wish. 


THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


The  Methodist  Society,  generally  conceded  to  be  among  the 
first  to  be  organized  in  Hoopeston  came  into  existence  in  the  year 
1872  and  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  B.  F.  Hyde,  of  Rossville  and 
Presiding  Elder  Preston  Wood.  Preaching  services  were  first  held 
at  McCracken's  Store,  as  in  the  hurry  and  bustle  of  the  countless 
activities  of  building  the  city  it  took  some  time  to  get  matters 
started  in  the  town,  so  that  preachers  could  have  regular  places 
for  teaching  the  Word. 


Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

The  circuit  at  that  time  included  Schwartz,  East  Lynn  and 
Antioch,  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Alkire  being  pastor.    In  1873,  the  Rev. 


128 


W.  Lang  was  pastor  and  J.  W.  Phillips,  Presiding  Elder.  Dick 
school  house  and  Bridgeman  school  house  were  added  as  regular 
appointments. 

In  1874,  J.  Muirhead  was  pastor,  his  pastorate  continuing 
three  years.  During  this  time  the  church  that  was  to  serve  the 
Methodist  congregation  up  to  the  time  of  the  present  beautiful 
structure  was  commenced.    This  church  building  cost  $3,300. 

In  1877,  the  Rev.  H.  M.  Hoff  was  appointed  to  this  circuit  and 
served  for  several  years.  .  In  that  year  the  membership  of  the 
Methodist  church  was  86.  The  Sunday  school  in  1877  numbered 
75  members  on  its  roster  and  E.  B.  Row  was  the  superintendent. 

Some  idea  of  the  immense  growth  of  the  Methodist  Church 
is  gained  when  it  is  known  that  this  denomination  at  the  present 
clay  numbers  close  to  500  members  and  that  the  Sunday  School 
has  at  times  reached  the  1,000  mark.  The  Methodist  church 
today  is  the  strongest  in  point  of  numbers  of  any  denomination  in 
the  city. 

It  was  during  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  Parker  Shields  in 
1896,  now  superintendent  of  the  Anti-Saloon  League  of  the  state 
of  Missouri  that  the  present  beautiful  church  edifice  was  complet- 
ed at  a  cost  of  $23,000. 

Prominent  among  the  affairs  of  the  city  in  every  line  of  en- 
deavor a  number  of  the  names  of 
the  men  who  are  the  leaders  in 
affairs  of  the  Methodist  Church 
appear.  Among  these  are  I.  E. 
Merritt,  L.  W.  Singleton  and 
George  E.  Evans.  All  three  of 
these  men  have  served  as  offi- 
cials of  the  Methodist  church  in 
Hoopeston  and  are  among  its 
best  supporters. 

The  present  pastor  of  the 
Hoopeston  Methodist  Church  is 
the  Rev.  C.  H.  Young,  who  has 
been  here  for  less  than  one  year 
at  the  present  time.  The  Rev. 
Young  succeeded  the  Rev.  Har- 
ris G.  Beck,  who  served  the 
Hoopeston  pastorate  for  a  period 
of  three  years  before  accepting 
a  call  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  at  Mattoon,  Illinois,  a 
larger  charge. 


Rev.  C.  H.  Young 


129 
FIRST  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST 


The  First  Church  of  Christ  was  organized  in  June,  1873,  by 
Elder  Rollie  Martin  with  twelve  members.  J.  M.  R.  Spinning 
and  J.  S.  Shirley  were  the  first  Elders.  Elders  Roe  and  A.  R. 
Owens  were  successive  pastors  for  this  young  church.  The  first 
church  building  was  erected  in  1874  on  Honeywell  avenue  at  646, 
the  present  residence  of  J.  H.  Jones.  The  structure  was  36x50, 
with  a  steeple,  and  cost  about  $1,800. 

Later  Elders  were  W.  J.  Hawkins  and  George  Chamberlin,  F. 
B.  Bird,  S.  F.  Miller,  John  Williams,  J.  A.  Holton  and  H.  C.  Green. 
Elder  Austin  was  one  of  the  first  preachers;  T.  L.  Stipp  was 
another. 


Church  of  Christ 

In  1885,  the  church  building  wras  moved  from,  Honeywell  ave- 
nue to  the  site  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Fourth  Streets,  now- 
occupied  by  the  Dallstream  Apartments.  In  1892,  under  the  lead- 
ership of  Brother  Jim  Lester  as  pastor,  the  church  took  on  new 
life  and  during  that  year  the  membership  was  nearly  doubled, 
having  255  at  the  end  of  the  year.  Brother  Lester  continued  as 
pastor  during  the  years  1893  and  1894,  and  the  church  continued 
to  grow.  Brother  Rohrer  served  as  pastor  in  1895 ;  Brother  J.  S. 
Clements  in  1896 ;  and  Brother  Chasman  in  1897. 

Rev.  R.  H.  Robertson  was  called  in  1898  and  served  during: 


130 

1899  and  1900.  In  1899  during  Brother  Robertson's  time,  the 
present  modern  structure  was  built  on  the  northeast  corner  of 
Main  and  Fourth  Streets,  at  a  cost  of  $30,000.  The  church  was 
dedicated  January  28,  1900. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Thomas  served  as  pastor  in  1901 ;  Rev.  W.  O.  Lappin 
in  1902,  1903 ;  Rev.  L.  I.  Mercer  served  in  1904,  1905,  1906 ;  Rev. 
L.  R.  Hoteling  1907,  1908;  Rev.  H.  F.  Kelsh,  1909,  1910;  Rev.  An- 
drew Scott,  1911,  1912,  1913,  1914;  Rev.  John  P.  Givens,  1915, 
1916,  1917,  1918;  Rev.  Eugene  M.  Smith,  1920,  1921,  1922,  1923; 
Rev.  E.  F.  Winkler,  1924  to  March,  1925. 

The  church  has  grown  through  these  years  until  the  present 
membership  reaches  600  members  and  has  a  budget  of  $6,000 
yearly. 

During  the  pastorate  of  the  beloved  Eugene  Smith,  on  May 
1,  1921,  the  Bible  School  had  an  attendance  of  683,  being  the  larg- 
est Sunday  school  ever  held  in  the  history  of  the  church  in  IToop- 
eston. 

The  church  has  just  called  Rev.  E.  S.  DeMiller,  of  Elwood, 
Indiana — the  pastorate  now  being  vacant.  The  present  officers 
of  the  church  are:  Elders  W.  P.  Peirce,  W.  L.  Townsley,  Ralph 
R.  Townsley,  Harlin  E.  Vines  and  P.  H.  Youngblood. 


THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 


Numbered  among  the  major  denominations  in  Hoopeston, 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  is  at  the  same  time  one  of  the 
most  active  in  the  city. 

The  First  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  on  May  3, 
1872,  by  the  Rev.  A.  L.  Brooks  and  the  Rev.  W.  A.  Steele,  a  com- 
mittee of  the  Bloomington  Presbytery.  The  old  Hibbard  House, 
which  stood  at  the  corner  of  Penn  street  and  Second  Avenue  was 
the  scene  of  the  momentous  event  and  there  were  eighteen  mem- 
brs  at  that  time.  E.  R.  Strauss,  W.  Maxwell  and  L.  W.  Ander- 
son were  the  first  elders. 

The  Rev.  Steele,  one  of  the  organizers,  was  the  first  pastor, 
preaching  one-third  of  the  time  for  the  first  year.  The  Rev.  M. 
Lynn  then  supplied  the  pulpit  for  one  year  and  in  the  fall  of  1877, 
the  Rev.  A.  L.  Knox,  formerly  of  Heyworth,  was  employed  to 
preach.  The  Rev.  Knox  preached  in  Hoopeston  on  Sunday  morn- 
ings and  evenings  and  in  the  afternoons  at  Victor  and  Ross  school 
houses. 

The  church  numbered  thirty-six  members  in  the  year  1879 
and  in  that  year  yet  had  no  house  of  worship,  mjeetings  being 
held  in  Clark's  Hall. 

In  the  year  1881,  a  frame  church  was  built  at  the  corner  of 


131 

Penn  and  Market  streets  in  which  the  congregation  worshipped 
until  the  year  1900,  when  this  building  was  removed  and  the 
present  beautiful  brick  and  stone  church,  one  of  the  most  beauti- 


First  Presbyterian  Church 

ful  in  the  city  of  Hoopeston,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $21,000.  The 
Rev.  Edward  J.  Regennas  was  pastor  of  the  church  at  that  time. 
Each  year  since  the  dedication  of  the  present  beautiful 
church  home  has  shown  a  steady  increase  in  the  membership 
and  activities  of  this  church.  Its  Sunday  school  is  one  of  the 
largest  of  the  major  denominations  in  Hoopeston.  A  men's 
brotherhood  is  an  auxiliary  of  the  church  that  has  a  large  mem- 
bership and  that  is  increasingly  active  in  its  affairs.  The  Rev. 
S.  Howard  Smith  is  the  present  pastor  of  the  church. 


THE  UNITED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 


The  United  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  in  May,  1872, 
by  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Whitham,  who  lived  at  that  time  at  Sugar 
Creek,  near  Rankin.  The  wave  of  migration  in  this  section  to  the 
new  town  at  the  intersection  of  the  railroads  brought  many 
pioneers  from  Paxton  and  the  Rev.  Whitham,  collected  these  to- 
gether into  a  congregation  of  twenty-nine  members,  with  T.  C. 
McCaughey,  G.  M.  Kirkpatrick  and  R.  M.  Knox  as  ruling  elders. 

The  Rev.  R.  C.  Wyatt  served  the  church  for  two  years  as 
the  stated  supply.    At  first  the  meetings  were  held  in  the  only 


J  32 

synagogue  in  the  new  town,  McCracken's  store.  The  Rev.  R.  C. 
Hamilton,  of  Ohio,  preached  to  the  congregation  for  three  months, 
The  Rev.  E.  D.  Campbell,  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Gibson  and  the  Rev.  G. 
W.  Torrance  successively  labored  here  and  were  followed  by  the 
Rev.  T.  A.  Houston,  the  supply  for  the  charge  in  the  year  1879. 

The  first  church  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $1,500  while  the  Rev, 
Gibson  was  in  charge  of  the  activities  here  in  the  year  1876.  At 
that  time  the  membership  of  the  church  numbered  forty-eight 
persons.  This  first  church  occupied  a  site  at  the  corner  of  Third 
and  Davis  streets. 


1 2ft 


United  Presbyterian  Church 


In  1889  the  congregation  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church 
invested  about  $12,000  in  a  fine  new  brick  church  at  the  corner  of 
Market  street  and  Honeywell  Avenue.  The  structure  is  the 
present  home  of  the  church  in  Hoopeston  and  has  an  excellent 
parsonage  adjoining  it. 

The  present  pastor  of  the  Hoopeston  United  Presbyterian 
church  is  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Hill,  who  came  to  Hoopeston  to  take  up 
his  work  here  in  1922  and  who  has  satisfactorily  and  efficiently 
conducted  the  charge  since  that  year. 


133 
THE  UNIVERSALIST  CHURCH 


The  Universalist  Church  of  Hoopeston  was  organized  in 
August,  1882,  by  the  Rev.  T.  S.  Guthrie,  of  Springfield,  Ohio. 
Thirty-two  members  of  this  denomination  had  come  to  make 
their  home  in  Hoopeston  and  when  their  numbers  became  known, 
it  was  determined  to  form  a  branch  of  the  denomination  in  this 
city — that  was  later  to  take  its  place  among  the  major  denomina- 
tions of  Hoopeston. 


■H 

iHs 

"^^^n*2aT'^JH 

'&$Bk    »l&v\^ 

*— —  iim^^"^" 

Universalist  Church 


Four  years  later,  in  1886,  the  present  beautiful  house  of  wor- 
ship, at  the  corner  of  Market  and  Penn  streets,  was  erected,  which 
has  served  the  growing  congregation  until  the  present  day.  The 
church  home  is  among  the  most  beautiful  in  Hoopeston  and  a 
commodious  parsonage  for  its  ministers  is  also  maintained  on 
East  Washington  street. 

The  church  at  the  present  day  has  a  strong  membership,  and 
numbers  some  of  Hoopeston's  most  influential  and  progressive 
citizens  among  its  members.  The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  Carl 
A.  Poison  and  in  the  two  years  that  he  has  served  the  Hoopeston 


134 

congregation  the  church  has  steadily  grown  in  prestige  and  mem- 
bership. 

An  auxiliary  woman's  organization,  the  Clara  Barton  Guild, 
fs  in  a  flourishing  and  prosperous  condition.  The  Men's  Brother- 
hood, the  Universalist  Comrades,  is  among  the  most  influential 
men's  brotherhoods  in  the  city  and  meets  once  a  month  at  the 
church.  This  organization,  during  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  Pol- 
son,  has  become  noted  for  the  many  orators  of  national  fame  and 
reputation  that  have  come  here  to  take  part  in  its  programs. 


THE  FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH 


The  organization  of  the  First  Baptist  church  in  Hoopeston 
in  March,  1873,  had  its  inception  in  a  series  of  meetings  held  by 
the  Rev.  G.  T.  Willis,  in  a  school  house  three  miles  southeast  of 
the  city.     There  were  six  constituent  members,  of  which  the 


Baptist  Church 


Rev.  Willis  and  D.  H.  Chapmjan  were  two.    The  latter  was  elected 
deacon  and  clerk,  offices  he  held  for  many  years. 

The  Baptist  denomination  soon  attracted  many  members  to 
its  meetings  and  outgrowing  their  quarters  it  was  decided  to 


135 

build  a  new  church.     This  church  was  completed  and  dedicated 
in  January,  1882. 

The  Baptist  church  of  today  is  a  beautiful  church  house  and 
one  that  well  merits  the  large  attendance  that  it  receives.  The 
present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  Lester  Boyd, 


ST.  ANTHONY'S  CATHOLIC  CHURCH 


The  Roman  Catholic  church  of  Hoopeston  became  a  distinct- 
ly local  organization  in  the  year  1877  and  their  first  house  of 
worship  in  this  city  was  built  in  1877.  The  Rev.  Fr.  M.  A.  Man- 
ville  was  appointed  as  the  first  resident  pastor  and  in  1898  he 
built  the  first  Catholic  rectory  in  Hoopeston.  This  parsonage 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  $1,200. 


First  Catholic  Church  in  Hoopeston 


The  present  church  was  built  in  1907  at  a  cost  of  $35,000 
and  in  1922  the  present  rectory  was  completed.  The  present 
rectory  is  valued  at  $12,000. 

St.  Anthony's  church  is  among  the  wealthiest  in  Hoopeston. 
Two  lots  at  the  corner  of  South  Third  street  and  East  Lincoln 
streets  are  owned  by  the  church  in  addition  to  160  acres  of  land 
one  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Hoopeston.  The  church  property 
at  the  present  day  is  valued  at  over  $100,000.         * 

Since  the  year  1903  when  the  Rev.  Fr.  Fred  Gahlman  came 
to  Hoopeston  as  its  pastor  St.  Anthony's  church  has  prospered 
and  grown  exceedingly.    Each  year  have  found  new  faces  within 


136 

its  church  circle  as  new  members  of  this  faith  have  sought  Hoop- 
eston  as  a  honte  and  St.  Anthony's  church  as  the  place  to  supply 
their  spiritual  needs. 


THE  SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS 
(Quakers) 


There  were  representatives  of  the  Friends  in  Hoopeston  from 
the  laying  out  of  the  new  town.  Joseph  M.  Satterwhait  was 
one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  the  town.  In  1872,  he  built 
a  commodious  home,  corner  of  Third  and  Penn  streets,  into  which 
he  and  his  wife,  Isaac  T.  Lukens  and  wife  and  Miss  Edith  Mullen 
moved.  Here,  in  this  new  home,  the  first  meetings  were  held, 
which  were  continued,  according  to  the  rules  and  discipline  of 
the  Friends,  twice  a  week — first  day  and  fifth  day — for  a  year. 
In  1873,  R.  M.  Lukens  and  wife  joined  the  representatives  of  that 
faith  here.  Mr.  Lukens  had  a  building  erected  at  the  corner  of 
Third  and  Main  street  and  arranged  it  for  a  meeting  house.  His 
proposition  to  the  Friends  to  occupy  this  met  with  general  ap- 
proval. It  was  here,  in  the  fall  of  1873  that  the  first  public  meet- 
ings of  the  "Richland  Meeting  of  Friends"  were  held. 

In  1883  the  little  Quaker  church  at  the  corner  of  Third  and 
Washington  streets  was  built  and  regular  meetings  were  held 
there  for  many  years.  In  1900  the  membership  had  grown  from 
the  original  19  to  26  and  this  increase  continued  for  a  few  years. 

Although  there  are  still  members  of  the  Friends  in  Hoopes- 
ton, descendents  of  those  pioneers  who  founded  the  church  here, 
no  active  church  is  maintained. 


THE  CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE  CHURCH 


The  Christian  Science  Society  of  Hoopeston  was  organized 
in  September,  1898,  with  fourteen  original  members,  by  Mrs. 
Mary  E.  Conklin,  of  Los  Angeles,  California.  Sunday  and  Wed- 
nesday evening  services  were  for  a  time  held  at  the  home  of 
members,  then  in  the  Friend's  meeting  house,  until  assembly 
rooms  were  secured  in  the  McFerren  Block,  where  the  meetings 
were  held  until  the  completion  and  dedication  of  their  church  in 
1902. 

In  September,  1900,  the  society  was  re-organized  and  incor- 
porated under  the  name  of  "First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,  of 
Hoopeston."  The  First  reader  was  Miss  Stella  F.  Sabin;  Second 
Reader,  Mrs.  Cornelia  H.  Catherwood.     A  public  reading  room 


137 

containing  Christian  Science  Literature  was  opened  and  maintain- 
ed. Completion  of  the  present  church  edifice  in  1902  marked  the 
steady  growth  of  the  society  in  Hoopeston,  a  growth  that  has 
been  continued  until  the  present  day. 


THE  FREE  METHODIST  CHURCH 


The  Free  Methodist  Church  of  Hoopeston  was  organized  in 
1893  by  Rev.  D.  S.  Moore  and  Rev.  A.  Maker,  with  ten  charter 
members.  This  denomination  has  a  comfortable  house  of  wor- 
ship, erected  in  1896,  at  the  corner  of  Third  street  and  Mc- 
Cracken  Avenue,  where  regular  services  are  held. 


Included  among  the  sects  that  have  passed  out,  of  existence 
in  Hoopeston  is  the  United  Brethren  Church  of  Hoopeston  that 
was  organized  in  1896.  Regular  services  were  held  for  over  a 
year  at  the  homes  of  members  of  which  there  were  five.  The 
Rev.  S.  C.  Allman  ministered  to  this  congregation,  which  passed 
out  of  existence  with  the  absorption  of  its  membership  by  other 
churches  of  the  miajor  denominations  here. 

The  Salvation  Army  for  many  years  maintained  a  local  or- 
ganization in  Hoopeston,  resulting  from  a  series  of  tent  meetings 
held  here  during  the  summer  of  1901.  Later  these  meetings  were 
discontinued  and  no  active  branch  of  the  Salvation  Army  is  now 
maintained  in  Hoopeston. 

Each  of  the  churches  of  the  major  denominations  have  large 
and  active  Sunday  schools,  Young  Peoples'  Association,  that  are 
affiliated  with  the  Township  and  County  organizations;  Ladies 
Aid  and  Missionary  Societies  and  Men's  Brotherhoods,  according 
to  their  denominational  customs. 


"The  Cold  New  Year" 


By  Ol'  Settler 


ROBERT  F.  COOPER 


March,  1925,        All  Rights  Reserved.        Hoopeston,  Illinois. 


The  coldest  day  that  I  ever  knew 
Was  January  one,  in  sixty-two ; 
An'  no  old  timler  livin'  'round  here 
Has  ever  forgotten  that  cold  New  Year. 

When  the  sun  came  up  and  bust  into  view 
It  was  so  all-fired  cold,  it  had  most  turned  blue; 
And  the  air  was  congealed  an'  so  thick  if  you  please, 
It  hed  to  be  thawed  to  breathe  it  with  ease. 

An'  the  candle  I  lit  as  I  hopped  from  the  bed, 
Hed  it's  flame  frozen  solid  'fore  it  turned  red; 
An'  when  I  tried  kindlin'  a  fire,  I  thought  we  were  lost, 
For  the  slumbering  hot  embers  were  covered  with  frost. 

An'  when  I  stirred  up  the  embers  an'  poked  'em  about, 
I  hed  to  thaw  out  the  pipe  'fore  the  smoke  could  get  out ; 
An'  when  I  had  the  ol'  kitchen  stove  boomin'  red  hot, 
The  icicles  were  still  hangin'  from  the  oP  coffee  pot. 

An'  when  I  went  to  the  door  to  put  the  key  in  the  lock, 
The  keyhole  was  frozen  as  hard  as  a  rock ; 
An'  I  had  to  take  a  flatiron  an  hit  it  a  jolt, 
'Fore  I  could  put  in  the  key  to  turn  over  the  bolt. 

An'  when  I  opened  the  door  an'  went  outside, 
01'  Tower  frozen  stiff  was  the  first  thing  I  spied. 
An'  I  carried  him  in  an'  laid  him  on  the  hot  stove 
An'  it  was  an  hour  or  more  'fore  he  could  move. 


'An  when  he  thawed  out,  there  came  a  deep  roar, 
Of  barks  he  had  barked  the  evening  before. 
For  the  sounds  were  all  frozen,  an'  the  clock  on  the  shelf 
Ticked  for  three  days,  'fore  it  caught  up  with  itself. 


An'  when  I  went  out  to  milk  after  breakfast  was  o'er 
It  hed  frozen  the  horns  off  the  cows,  a  dozen  or  more, 
An'  I  hed  to  build  a  fire  an'  heat  their  udders  red  hot, 
'Fore  a  drap  of  m,ilk  could  be  got. 

An'  when  the  milk  was  thawed  so  it  came  in  a  stream, 
I  took  in  ten  buckets  of  pure  ice  cream; 
An'  the  chickens  were  hopping  about  on  icicle  legs, 

An'  the  hens  that  survived,  laid  hard  frozen  eggs. 

An'  the  horses  stood  rigid  in  well  sheltered  stall, 
With  jaws  frozen  shut,  'til  they  couldn't  eat  at  all; 
An'  the  hogs  were  all  frozen  from  tail  to  ring, 
An'  never  thawed  out  'til  the  following  spring. 

An'  the  deer  on  the  plains  were  a  pitiful  sight, 
Where  they  stood  on  the  prairie  frozen  upright; 
An'  we  left  'em  preserved  in  the  sheltered  windbreaks, 
Where  we  went  each  day  for  nice  frozen  steaks. 

An'  the  thermometers  went  down  as  far  as  they  could  go, 
An'  busted  through  their  bottoms  at  seventy  below ; 
An'  the  record  of  that  day  stands  out  alone, 
As  the  coldest  New  Year  that  ever  was  known. 

An'  the  settler  that  told  us,  said  he'd  heer'n  tell, 
That  it  was  the  coldest  day  ever  known  in — well 
Every  place  known  to  common  Illinois  folks 
Who  recognize  facts,  an'  jokes  as  jokes. 


ADVERTISEMENTS 


Ira  Owen   Kreager  Post,  No.  384 


American   Legion 
HOQPESTON,  ILLINOIS 


"For  God  and  Country,  we  associate  ourselves  to- 
gether for  the  following  purposes :  To  uphold  and 
defend  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  of 
America;  to  maintain  law  and  order,  to  preserve 
the  memories  and  incidents  of  our  association  in 
the  great  war;  to  foster  and  perpetuate  a  one  hun- 
dred percent  Americanism ;  to  inculcate  a  sense 
of  individual  obligation  to  the  community,  state 
and  nation ;  to  combat  the  autocracy  of  both  the 
classes  and  the  masses ;  to  make  right  the  master 
of  might;  to  promote  peace  and  good  will  on 
earth ;  to  safeguard  and  transmit  to  posterity  the 
principles  of  Justice,  freedom  and  democracy;  to 
consecrate  and  sanctify  our  comradeship  by  our 
devotion  to  mutual  happiness. " 


«'A  LIVE  POST  WITH  A  LIVE  PROGRAM" 


C.  &  EL  I. 

(Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railway) 

North 

South 


Since  1871 
Hoopeston's 
principal  means 
of  communication 


Ten  fast  trains  daily  provide  the  utmost  in  convenient, 
on-time  service  between  Chicago  and  Hoopeston.  Hun- 
dred-pound rails — rock  ballasted,  double  and  triple  track 
— powerful  locomotives — modern  equipment  and  cour- 
teous employes. 

Luxurious  through  daily  trains  over  the  famous  Dixie 
Route  to  Nashville,  Chattanooga,  Atlanta,  and  Jackson- 
ville. Through  service  also  to  Birmingham,  Montgomery, 
Mobile  and  along  the  scenic  Gulf  Coast  to  New  Orleans. 
Daily  service  to  St.  Louis  affording  direct  connections 
to  all  points  in  the  Southwest. 


C.  M.  RAY,  Ticket  Agent,  HoopesU 
BATCHELDER, 


SPRAGUE-SELLS 
Corporation 


Manufacturers  ctf 


PEA,  COfcN.  TOMATO  and  FRUIT 

Canning  Machinery 

Hoopeston,  Illinois 


L 


SAFETY  SECURITY 


FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK 

HOOPESTON.  ILLINOIS 


SOUNDNESS  SERVICE 


hoopeston 
Canning  Company 

Established  1878 
Packers  of 

Fancy  Sweet  Corn 

Production  350,000  Cases  Yearly 


Established  1878 


The  Illinois  Canning  Co 

Packers  of 

Fancy  Sugar  Corn  and 

"JOAN    OF    ARC" 

Red  Kidney 

Beans 

Hoopeston,        Illinois 


Lorraine  Theatre  McFerren  Opera  House 

Hoopeston,  Illinois  Hoopeston,  Illinois 


Collum  &  Orr 


Theatres 


Blackstone  Theatre  Edna    Theatre 

Diviiiht.  Illinois  iiibson  City,  Illinois 


The 

Chronicle  *  Herald 


Published  Daily  by 

The  Aldrich  Printing  &  Publishing  Co. 

Since  1872 


Hoopeston's  Community   Newspaper 

United  Press  Direct  Wire  Service 

"First  in  Hoopeston" 


Large  Job  Plant  in  Connection 


Modern    Machinery    and    Expert    Workmanship 

insures  speedy  and  capable  handling  of 

your  printing  needs 


Reliability  Plus  Service 

201  East  Main  Street.  Phone  No.  3 


The    Central   Clearing    House    of    Intelligent    Activities 


C  o-operation 

|— |armony 

/\mbition 

M  unicipal 

genefits 

Efficiency 

Right-Living 

Obligation 
Fidelity 

Community 

Q  rganization 

|\/|  erchandising 

^ai^agement 

Enterprise 

Results 

^  q  ncejrtration 

Enthusiasm 


Are  You  Helping  Support  the  Torch  of 
Civic  Consciousness? 


The 

Illif-Bruff  Chemical 

Company 


Manufacturers  of 


SNOW   WHITE  PHOSPHATE 
and  Other  Chemical  Products 

Hoopeston,  Illinois 


Those  who 

ELECTRIFY 

attain 

EFFICIENCY 


Central  Illinois 
Public  Service  Company 


Hoopeston 

National 

Bank 


Pres.  I.  E.  Merritt 

V.  Pres.  J.  H.  Dyer 

Cashier,  L.  W.  Singleton 

Ass't.    Cash.    E.     E.     Yates 


Coy  Burton 

G.  H.  Finch 

Alma  Yates 

Edith  Kellogg 


Interest  Paid  on  Time  Deposits 

Careful  Attention  Given  to  All  Business 
Safety   Deposit   Boxes   for   Rent 

Courteous  Treatment  to  All 


Come  and  See  Us 


